The Hunt
by thoughts like stars
Summary: They have 21 days. To find the priceless sword that belonges to Bobby Wasabi. How hard can it be? With twenty other dojos competiting, it's gonna be fierce. Of course, The Wasabi Warriors take the summer challenge. But once you're in...you can't get out. / COMPLETE.
1. School's Out, The Hunt's In

**IMPORTANTA/N- ****Hey Fanfictioners! This is Taylor back with yet another Kickin' It Story! Don't worry, of course I'm still continuing Writers Wanted—by the way thank you all SO MUCH for all the reviews! I read each and every one, even with them not being in my account, and they are amazing! Thank you all, so glad you love the story! **

**OKAY, about this story…you see I've been hit with a lot of inspiration, so I just HAD to write it. It all started in Social Studies…we were talking about Ancient China, and they're dynasties, and the history of their swords. Then, the next day we played this little scavenger hunt during class, looking for a plastic sword she bought in (yeah, my SS teacher is actually quite fun!). So that's when it hit me! I**_** had**_** to write this…and obviously this is going to be more intense! Not a lot of mystery, but definitely a lot of ADVENTURE, DRAMA, SUSPENSE, HUMOR, and of course…romance. This story is called **_**The Hunt**_**, and I hope you all love it! Thank you all for reading! Enjoy! **

**PS- No one is co-writing this story with me…this one's all me ;) hahahah**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN KICKIN' IT! Although I wish I did…**

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><p><strong>KIM<strong>

_3…2…1…_

"_BRING!" _

With a chorused shriek of joy, papers flew into the air, like giant confetti with the screams of kids reverberating around the entire school. With huge grins plastered on our faces, we sprinted out of the classrooms, spreading our arms out in the air like we were free birds. I honestly was unable to wipe the grin off my face…I was too exhilarated at the moment to even keep a straight face. But when I saw Grace Miller, my best friend, looking for her car, my enthusiastic smile, turned into a sad frown. I went over to Grace, wrapping my arms around her body, with a tear trickling down my face. She hugged me back, squeezing me tight as if she was never able to let go.

"Oh Grace, I'm going to miss you so much!" I said. She squeezed me tighter, reassuringly.

"I'm going to miss you too, Kim." She said with a shake in her voice. "Don't worry, I promise to call you every day for the rest of the summer, and pretty much for the rest of my life." I laughed a bit. I couldn't seem to let go. To me, this felt like the last embrace we would ever share…before she moves away to Miami, Florida. She finally let go, and gave me a smile, rubbing my shoulder comfortingly, as I quickly wiped a dribble of a tear that still remained on my pale face.

"I'll call you at the airport, okay?" She said, with that sweet voice of hers calmly soothing my ears. I nodded and gave her a smile.

"Bye!" I waved, and with a last quick hug, she ran off, out of Seaford High for the last time. I know that the last day of school wasn't a time to necessarily cry, but celebrate and be happy…hence the essays and homework paper confetti that was being flung to the air just moments ago. But how could I not help but allow tears to run down my face? The only "girl-friend" I had was now gone, off to Florida, and never coming back. Visions of meeting her when I was three whirred back to life, replaying in my head like a movie. I lurched my tote bag to my shoulders, and with my head facing to the ground, started walking out of Seaford High…ready to endure an entire summer vacation without my best "girl" friend.

When I felt a hand squeeze my shoulder.

_Grace? _

I quickly spun my body around, in the hopes of seeing Grace with her beautiful pin-straight brunette locks that flew over her shoulders, her smile curved just in the right way, and her eyes twinkling no matter what light she stands in.

But it wasn't Grace.

What I saw in front of me was yet another brunette…tall, a bit muscular, deep chocolate eyes that can make a girl melt to the floor and a smile that flashes so bright. It was none other than Jack, giving me that affectionate look of his, as if he knew everything just by looking me in the eye. I gave him a small smile, and quickly felt my face, ensuring that there weren't any dry tears still smeared on my rosy cheeks.

"You okay, Kim?" Jack asked. The proximity between me and him was so close that I could feel him breathing on me. I took a small, subtle step back in anxiousness, but still conveying a smile and nod.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I said, with a crack of a smile.

"I know it's sad that Grace moved away now, and I know how much it hurts you," He said. "But don't worry about it. She said she'll visit."

"But things are still never going to be the same." I sighed. "I've known Grace my whole life. Don't you think it's a bit weird she just had to leave to Miami just out of the blue? She told me just a _few days _ago that she's moving, and that it was all of a sudden. Isn't that just…odd?"

"I guess," Jack shrugged. "She probably didn't know how to tell you, that's all. Don't worry Kim…I'm going to make your summer the best summer ever."

I smiled, and laughed. "Oh, so is that a promise?"

He laughed. "Shoosh, yeah! I can and I will make your summer the best one you've ever had…I can prove to you that you don't need Grace, and that you can handle two months…and the rest of your life…without her." He held out a hand for me to shake. "Deal?"

I laughed, and wrapped my fingers around his. "Deal. Let's see how far this fail of a promise goes."

"Oh, you're on." He said, chuckling. For a moment, I stared at the handshake that remained idle, not moving a muscle. It was as if we were holding hands in an odd position. I stared at my hand that was entwined in his, and then stared at him, looking at me with those rich brown, profound eyes. I didn't want to get into a "staring contest" so I simply broke free from the metaphoric chain between my eyes and his, and abruptly released my hand. I didn't want to create any of these "Do I like him or not?" moments. Honestly, it drives me insane…it's like a little bug that sticks in your mind forever, never getting out…never allowing itself to be free; unless we give it the answer it wants.

And honestly…I don't know the answer.

But I do know I can say one thing…Jack _is_ a good friend. It seems like every time he's around, I feel safe, I feel secure, and I feel better. Every time he shows up to me, flaunting off that smile of his, for some reason, my mood turns cheerful. This is something I'll never be able to comprehend…how the teenage mind actually works. How we actually feel about someone. How there's just some of those people in life that makes you feel so happy just with their presence…

_Don't get in the moment Kim; don't get in the moment Kim…._

Before Jack could say anything (and I'm sure he wasn't, considering how awkward the moment was) Jerry and Eddie swooped by with goofy grins on their face, while Milton and Julie walked towards us, hand in hand looking like those happy couples you see in the old movies (have you _seen _what Julie wears?).

"Hey, look at the two love birds, having fun, talking it out!" Jerry said high-fiving Eddie. I gritted my teeth.

"It's the last day of school, so I will not kill you," I said slowly, flashing on a fake smile to Jerry, still clenching my teeth and fists. "But watch what you say…or you'll never wish you born…kay?" I said, with the last word coming out like a squeak from a little girl. He nodded his head fiercely.

"Crystal clear." Jerry said.

"Good." I confirmed, smirking.

"Ah, it's so funny how Kim is the one scaring Jerry…when Jerry's the one that scares all of us." Milton said, glaring at him. I laughed.

"Okay, so we got nothing to do today… so I say we watch that new movie that's showing tonight at the theatre!" Eddie said, as we walked out of the school building for the last time. He paused for dramatic effect. "The Paranoid Game."

I shook my head vigorously. Okay, here are some rules I think you'd like to know about Kim Crawford. You can ask me to go and ride King Da Ka. You can ask me to put on a bikini. You can even ask me to stay up for 24 hours straight. And sometimes if you're lucky, you can force me, and I say yes. But you _cannot _ask me to see or do anything with the "scary" or "haunted" themes in it. By the way…watching Horror Movies fall into this category…

"Aw, is Kim scared for the first time?" Jerry said pouting my lip. I gave him a cold-stone look in the eye.

"I…am…not…scared…" I said firmly. Although, I'm sure judging by the anxiety and pitch in my voice accelerating, they could tell I was lying. You also must be wondering why the oh-so-tough Kim Crawford is afraid of watching scary movies or going to see a Haunted House. Well there's a bit of a history behind that. I'll get into that later on.

"I don't blame her." I heard Julie say, her voice shaking. "I don't want to go either! Milty, you know how I'm scared of scary movies!" She said pouting her lip at Milton. He gave her a caring, geeky smile.

"Don't worry, sweetie you can always cover your eyes and lean on me." Milton smiled. I rolled my eyes. Nerd Love. You just gotta love it.

"Moving swiftly on," Eddie said. "So who wants to see it?"

"Sounds like fun," Jack said. I glared at him.

"Jack! I don't want to see—"

"Hey, part of having 'The Best Summer Ever' is taking risks. And I think for you, this is a risk. C'mon, I'll be next to you the whole time…in case _you _need a chest to cover your eyes in." Jack said smiling at me, challengingly. I thought about that. The thought of having Jack snuggling up next to me _did _sound a big nice…but no. Kim Crawford doesn't need anything…she can take risks all by herself. Even though, I'm going to regret this decision for the rest of my life, I hate to admit Jack had a point…if you want to take your mind of things, you have to take risks. Hey, at least I got Jack…_and the others of course! _

"I'm going to show you that I don't need a chest and that I'm going to watch every moment of it!" I said, smiling jokingly. I turned to Eddie. "I'm in!"

"Count me in! I'm _so_ bringing a girl with me!" Jerry said, running up to girls that were still remaining on the streets to ask them to the movies.

"If Milton's in," Julie said, giving him a flirty smile. "Then I'm in."

"Okay, let's give it a try, my little chemical concoction!" Milton said flirtatiously. I could see the guys' grossed out expressions, which just made me laugh.

"Alright, I'm going to get a date too! I need someone to snuggle up with! And then I'll get the tickets…see you guys in a bit!" Eddie said, running off. Milton and Julie gave us a wave.

"See you in an hour guys! I think you guys need some time alone!" Julie said, giggling a bit. They both sauntered off in the San Jose afternoon, hand in hand as the sun glistened brightly in the sky. I looked at Jack, and he just looked down shyly.

"So," Jack said, covering up the awkward silence. "Since everyone else is getting dates, do you think we should…?"

"Well, don't you think it would be…?"

"Yeah you're probably right it could be—"

"But maybe it won't..."

"Why don't we go as friends?"

I looked up at him, thankful that he finally finished his sentence, rather than trailing off, and making me say answers. But for some reason, I could feel myself slightly growing a bit depressed when he said to go as friends. Did I want this to be a date? Did I want to snuggle up with him? A part of me saying "no of course not" but another part of me saying "yes of course"! I looked up and gave him a smile.

"Yeah…just friends. Why not?" I said, spreading out a feeble smile. He smiled back, seeming to have bought it…although it seemed like his expression had slightly fell. He cleared his throat and faced me with a casual expression.

"So, want to go to the dojo? Let's see if you can beat me today," He said smiling.

"You're on." I said, smiling. With a last glance of the Seaford High campus, we walked to the Bayview strip mall, where the Bobby Wasabi dojo was. At first, Jack and I didn't say anything…all we did was walk in pure silence.

Until my cellphone rang. I stopped walking, and took it out of my pocket and looked at the Caller ID.

Rudy.

"Why is he calling? Wasn't he supposed to have a really important meeting with Bobby or something?" Jack asked. I shrugged, and picked up the phone, confused, wondering why Rudy should call us today of all days.

"Rudy?" I said over the phone.

"Kim!" I heard Rudy's voice slightly shaking. "You, Jack and the rest get over here…now! It's an emergency!"

"Wait, why? Are we in trouble or something? Well, don't look at me, we didn't throw another party." I said, still in the same confusing state of mind.

"You're not in trouble! Just get over here, stat! Make sure you bring everyone!"

"Okay, we were on our way to the dojo anyway…we'll just see you there."

"Bring the guys too! Okay, now I got to go…Tip-Tip thinks that Bobby's beard is a ball of yarn. No Tip-Tip don't…!" And the line went dead. Bewildered, I hung up the phone and looked at Jack at utter confusion.

"What happened?"

"Well, Tip-Tip thinks that Bobby Wasabi's beard is yarn, and now we have to go meet him at the dojo."

"Why?"

"Well if you think about it, Bobby's hair is kind of—"

"No, I mean why did he tell us to meet him there?" Jack laughed at the misunderstanding. "Although, that does make sense. That guy needs to brush his hair."

I laughed. "I don't know…he didn't say. But from the tone of Rudy's voice, it doesn't imply good."

"Well, we better go then…I'll tell the guys." Jack said punching numbers on his phone.

"I have a bad feeling about this, Jack…I've never heard Rudy this…panicked before." I said, recollecting the conversation. Rudy was talking as if the end of the world may be upon us any moment. Possibilities lit up in my head, wondering why Rudy wanted to see us. Is he sick? Are we relocating? Are we having a really big competition or something?

"Kim, I'm sure everything is going to be fine…Rudy's just being the melodramatic guy he is that's all. It's going to be okay." He said, patting my shoulder comfortingly. As he started spreading the word to Milton, Jerry and Eddie and as we started walking to the dojo… the biggest, most fearsome question rang in my head like a fire alarm.

Is our dojo done…for good?

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><p>"Glad you all could make it!" Rudy said amiably, theatrically spreading his hands out in the air, with that unconfident laugh of his. We all could tell that he was instantly lying. I let myself spread a half-hearted grin, as we all started walking inside now looking at Rudy's panicked face, and Bobby's stern face. We all exchanged looks of confusion.<p>

"Well? Come on guys, make it quick! We have a movie to get to in an hour! I got myself a pretty hot girl, and I am _not _going to bail on this date!" Jerry said.

"Rudy, just tell us! What's wrong? Don't get all dramatic…I've already got two hours of drama to sustain later when see 'The Paranoid Game'." Milton said.

"I don't even know…but Bobby told me…" And Rudy made us lean closer. "That it's bad." He hissed. We all rolled our eyes.

"Get it together, man!" Eddie said.

"Bobby what's wrong? And please don't go all dramatic, just spit it out!" Jack said, clearly fed up of this.

"Well, I have actually had a proposal for you all." Bobby began. "You see…I'm awesome." He began, spreading his arms out. We all exchanged looks, of confusion…and idiocy.

"Um," I said. "How does that help exactly?"

"Look, thanks to my awesomeness, I got my agent back, after…endless hours of constant arguing." He said. "So, that means I could finally rise to my fame again! I'm dancing in my pajamas, thinking I'm the most awesome guy in the world…and then I get news…bad news."

"And the bad news is…?" Jack said impatiently.

"My priceless _Miao Dao _sword has been stolen! It was used in the Ming Dynasty and it had the Wasabi Code engraved on it…In Chinese!"

"In Chinese?" Rudy wailed.

"Yes!" Bobby said. "Then I went to my agent, and he said he knew where it was…but he wouldn't tell me. Instead, he wants to get my career back by putting on a contest."

A contest? The thought of that sounded a bit intriguing. It would be an elating, spine-tingling, uplifting summer adventure…but I couldn't possibly yes to this. I'd rather just relax at home, flip through the pictures of me and Grace, eat pints of cookie-dough ice cream, and cry. I know with Jack, Milton, Jerry and Eddie I feel somewhat cheerful…but not even 300 Jacks could make me forget about my best friend. But…would this contest help?

"A contest to find your Me-Ow Da-o sword?" Jerry said, snapping me out of my train of thought. I almost laughed at his attempt on a Chinese word.

"Yes." Bobby said. "A competition against the other Bobby Wasabi dojos…in search of the Wasabi _Miao Dao _sword. You have 21 days to find me that sword. The winning dojo will receive a grand check for fifty thousand dollars _and _the chance to visit any destination around the world for one week. The question is up to you…and the answer must all be unanimously yes. Then I can give you the envelope to the first clue. Now…take your time to decide there is no rush."

"Oh!" Rudy sighed in relief. "That's good, because we're going to need—"

"I was just being kind. You gotta decide now!" Bobby said. "I'm depending on you guys. The fate of that priceless ancient Chinese artifact lies in your hands. And once you're in…you're in." I gave an annoyed look at Bobby. Rudy pulled us aside, and faced us with an apprehensive look.

"So, do you guys agree to help find the _Miao Dao _sword?" Rudy asked. "I'll only say yes if you guys do. This is all on you."

"Of course _I'll _do it!" Milton said. "The Ming Dynasty was the most imperative dynasty in all of Ancient China, with one of the most—"

"I'm taking that a yes!" Rudy yelled, beckoning him to shut up. "Jerry, Eddie what about you?"

"Well, I think this little scavenger hunt could be pretty exciting!" Eddie said. "We get to travel around, eat new food, meet new girls, and eat new food—"

"Jerry, what about you?" Rudy interrupted again.

"Count me in! Finding priceless artifacts…totally swag." Jerry said, obviously trying too hard to be nonchalant about this. But I could tell from Jerry's juxtaposed expression, it was hard to tell if he was either really excited, or really fretful. I turned to Rudy who showed held up three of his fingers.

"Alright Jack…what about you?" Rudy fixed his pulsating eyes on Jack, eagerly waiting for his response. Of course Jack gave a confirmed, solid nod, causing Rudy to jump up and down like a little, sticking up on more fingers. I almost rolled his eyes…it was the typical thing Jack would do. He's the "never-say-never" boy that sometimes makes you smile. _I can't _believe _I just said that. _

"If it means finding an antique that's important to Bobby Wasabi…then I'm in." He said. Now Rudy fixed those same vivid eyes on me.

"What about you, Kim? It's all on you." Rudy said. I opened my mouth, trying to say something but no words came out. I dreaded this moment. How I wish this was a majority-rules rather than a solid, unanimous answer. I wanted to say no. I wanted to say that I'd rather keep things simple, and have an average teenage-girl summer vacation. In other words, and I know, this even sounds selfish to me but…I wanted to let Bobby down.

Jack stepped in and gingerly pulled me aside. "Come on Kim, we can do this. We can figure out these clues, and get that sword…together. I promised you The Best Summer Ever…and that's what I'm going to give you." He said, closer to me than ever. I looked into those effervescent, genuine brown eyes…

That's what made me give in.

I sighed and went back to Rudy. He waited eagerly for my response, as did the rest of the guys. I let out a deep, slow breath, mentally scanning if I'm going to make the right decision when saying yes. Was I? Is this what I want to do this summer? Go on an intense scavenger hunt, and find something that existed before Christ? Something that, if in the wrong hands, could be the most perilous? I looked at Jack once more, and all he did was give me pleading nod. Now I know…

I'm doing the right thing.

I nodded firmly, letting a huge smile spread across my face. "I'm in!"

The guys cheered, and Jack smiled, throwing his arms around me quickly, which made me laugh. Milton, Jerry and Eddie also gave me a huge bear hug…they seemed to be thankful just by me saying two words…_I'm in. _So far, I'm not regretting this decision.

Hopefully that continues.

Bobby came in, giving us a smile…although there was something in that smile that didn't seem right. The way it awkwardly curved on his slightly wrinkled face, and the way his eyes twinkled didn't look good. There was a twinge of…angst, or guilt that soaked on his lips, as he gave us that desultory smile. As if that I made the _wrong _decision.

_What you did was good, Kim…don't start regretting it. Jack hugged you for crying it loud! It should be worth it! _

"Alright, so it's settled." Bobby said, spreading his hands out in the air. "You have officially entered the _Miao Dao_ Scavenger Hunt! Now…the first clue will be delivered to you by hand tomorrow during the first gathering. The contest officially starts tomorrow morning at 3 P.M. You are the last dojo of mine I have approached, so all the other dojos have gotten the news already."

"How many dojos are competing with us?" Milton asked.

"I believe...twenty? Yes twenty dojos, out of the forty!" He said. "The rest are whimps."

"So, when do we have to be at the first meeting?" I asked.

"Oh, that starts at 11. You'll get to know who you're up against, and then the race begins from there. And don't worry lunch is on us.

"YES!" Eddie yelled with glee.

"Ooh, this is going to be exciting!" Bobby said, adjusting his beard. "I can almost taste the fear…or that could be some of the leftover sauce that's still in my mustache from my hoagie."

"Uh guys," Jerry said, his eyes slightly widening as he looked at his watch. "The movie, remember? It starts in fifteen minutes! We gotta pick up our dates! See ya Bobby!" And with that, Milton, Jerry and Eddie bursted out the door, running in different directions in search of the girls that I know are going to end up dumping them by the end of the movie. I shook my head playfully in discontent.

"Alright then…I'm assuming you two should be heading off. Movie dates are the most romantic after all. I would know when I acted in that movie of mine…." –He paused for dramatic effect here—"The Theatre Wars."

"Oh, we aren't going on a date," Jack said, shaking his head. I shook my head vigorously as well.

"Just friends." I confirmed. "Who have total platonic feelings for eachother, and have _nothing _going on." I started laughing uneasily after that, when Jack nudged my arm.

"Dial it down." He hissed. I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, well I'll see you all tomorrow at The First Meeting! May the force be with you!" He said, and with a flip of his hair sauntered off the dojo. Rudy seemed to have been taken aback.

"_Nobody _rips off from Star Wars, while I'm in the room!" Rudy wailed. "I'll show him the force!" Jack and I rushed towards him as Rudy began charging to Bobby Wasabi.

"Rudy, Rudy it's okay, calm down!" I said, tightly gripping my hands on his shoulders. "Stop freaking out!"

"Sorry," He said apologetically. He sighed. "I mean, pfft, you know I'm a big Star Wars fan. I even have Star Wars underpants. Wanna see?"

"Uh!" Jack said, holding Rudy's wrists tight so he couldn't move it. "Pass, but thanks! C'mon Kim, let's go to the movies."

"See you tomorrow Rudy," I waved. "And, we're going to win this Scavenger Hunt, don't worry about it."

"I know you will, because you never let me down!" Rudy said smiling. I smiled back, pleased at the good amount of trust he had towards us…for once.

"Aw, thanks Rudy that means—"

"So don't let me down, got it?" Rudy yelled, eyeballing me.

"Crystal?" I said questioningly. With that, I ran off to catch up with Jack.

"What was that all about?" He asked, laughing. I laughed along with him.

"Oh, just plain old Rudy, you know, the same mood he's in after he gets some kind of proposal from Bobby Wasabi…a little mood I'd like to call _being a creepy idiot._"

Jack laughed. "Well, speaking of creepiness, ready to endure more creepiness when we watch 'The Paranoid Game'."

"No, but considering I was about to see Rudy's Star Wars boxers, I think I'll be able to watch a scary movie." I said, smiling at Jack, as we started walking to the theatre. I could faintly see Milton and Julie, Jerry and a girl I couldn't make out, and Eddie…also with an unfamiliar girl.

"Don't worry…if the oh-so-tough Crawford ever gets scared, she can always snuggle up with me." Jack said. I shoved him playfully.

"Yeah, right." I said, laughing unceasingly. However, judging by what we Wasabi Warriors have got ourselves into, I can _still _unfortunately picture myself crying or whimpering in chest. I hated to admit...but that's the truth.

Let's put it this way:

About 3 things I was absolutely positive on.

1. Based on the tingles that run down my spine every time I see Jack, I think I _might or possibly _could have _very little _feelings towards him.

2. We just got entered in a deadly game of a Scavenger Hunt.

3. This summer was probably going to be the biggest one I've ever faced.

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><p><strong>AN- Ta Da! Hahahah! Loll, hope you guys liked the story! As you can see I'm trying **_**really hard **_**to get rid of the clichés! I'm sorry if there are still some of those! Please review, and tell me what you think! And btw…once you're hooked on this story…just like the scavenger hunt…there's no going back. **

_**Oooo. **_

**Haha! That's the new motto for this story, LOLL! Please REVIEW! Thank you guys so much for reading! Got a lot planned for y'all! I'll be starting an Austin and Ally fanfic really soon, and the sequel for Halloween Thief (if you guys still want it). **

**Peace. Love. Happiness. **

**-Taylor **


	2. Unsolved Mysteries

**IMPORTANT A/N- Hey guys! I'm back with the second chapter of The Hunt! In this chapter, you'll find out a whole lot more about the scavenger hunt, and go a little deeper as to how The Paranoid Game movie goes…and maybe even why Kim was afraid to see scary movies. Hope you enjoy this chapter, filled with some stronger Kick moments, and a huge plot twist that could make this quest harder for the gang than they've ever expected. I'd like to thank you guys SO MUCH for the amazing reviews just for the first chapter! You guys are amazing! I want to give a shout-out to TheWritingGames for giving me helpful suggestions on making this story even more successful! Expect a "guest star" appearance from her in this story really soon! Hope you all enjoy the second chapter of The Hunt!**

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><p><span>KIM<span>

_You're a tough girl…you can do this. _

_You can do this, Kim. _

_You can do this, Kim. _

With a heavy sigh, I hesitantly started strolling into the theatre room, where the words "The Paranoid Game-Theatre 4" displayed on the digital banner that hung on the ceiling. I wish my feet could be glued to the carpet, so that way, I wouldn't have to walk in. A massive swirl of fear circulated in my mind, thinking of all the possibilities that could happen if I did take the courage and watch the movie. According to people in school, The Paranoid Game was highlighted to be The Scariest Movie of The Year. How will that ever help me to forget about what happened…_that night. _The indistinct visions faintly blurred into my mind…giving me a distorted image of the things that took place _that night…_

The Man. The Screams. The Sirens.

The Gun.

I shivered and shook my head robustly, trying to get that horrifying vivid nightmare away from my head. Milton waltzed in the theatre room, hand in hand with Julie as she giggled to Milton's "jokes". Jerry walked in with that immature negligent look on his face, as he fixed his gaze on his date…which happened to be none other than Kelsey. Eddie followed behind Jerry, holding a giant bucket of popcorn and couldn't take his eyes off of the desperate girl that was _actually _willing to go out with Eddie…Stacey Wiseman. I could hear the loud booming from the room as the loud speakers echoed throughout the theatres, bringing a bit of stress to my ears. It's like I could already hear the frightened shrieks from the crowd as the movies creepily play, revealing images to keep me up at night. I could already picture the sweat beading down my temples as I wake up to a nightmare caused by the movie.

The nightmare caused by the man. The Screams. The Sirens. The Gun.

_No. _

I backed away slowly from the doors that I knew was awaiting my arrival…the visions from that night slowly appeared in my mind the memories growing flamboyant, the shrieks from that night slowly resonating in my ears, and the sound of the gun…slowly…

"KIM!"

I jerked my head up, at first seeing the face of that man, which caused me to scream. But when the intensity of the hallucination decreased, as I saw Jack's shocked face, as his eyes were occupied with worry.

"What?" I barked, with a crack in my voice. As the visions started growing unbalanced, I started taking heavy breaths. Jack took me by the arm, and led me to a bench, and made me sit down. The man…he's there…the screams…they're terrifying…the sirens…they're loud…the gun…it's pointed at me…

"Kim…breathe!" Jack yelled, causing people to stare. I took a deep breath, inhaling the oxygen, which caused the hyperventilation to deprive, much to my relief. I faced Jack, and gave him an apologetic look.

"What's wrong? Are you okay? What…what was that?" He asked.

"I can't watch that movie," I said, my voice trembling. "I'm sorry Jack. Just…go without me, I'll just wait outside."

"No, if you're not going, then I'm not going…" He said, putting a hand comfortingly on my shoulder. "Kim…what happened?"

See? I told you…he could instantly deduce what was wrong just with one piercing look in the eye. I faced him, and with those pleading eyes of his, I could tell he was never going to leave me alone…not without an answer. But how could I tell him this? I never spoke of _that night_…just recollecting the scene _in my mind_ is causing me to _hyperventilate. _What happens if I physically _tell _someone? I might as well land up in the hospital, unconscious, and filled with regret for telling Jack…the story of why I can't watch scary movies anymore…or any movies.

Let's put it this way: After _that night _happened…I've been scarred for life.

Yes.

The Kimberly Crawford. _Scarred. _

I sighed, and once again stared into those eyes. "I don't want to talk about it." I said. "Please don't make me."

"Kim, it's okay you know you call tell me—."

"I know but it's not that I don't want to," I interrupted. "I just…I _can't_. It's a pretty intense story…if you hear it, _you_ probably wouldn't want to watch the movie either. Look, just go to the movie. I'll be fine. I don't want to stop you from seeing it and enjoying yourself."

He laughed. "I'm not going to be enjoying it if you're not with me." I smiled.

"You just want to prove yourself right and win that bet." I said, playfully shoving him.

He laughed. "But seriously," His face grew serious. I looked at him. "I completely get that you don't want to tell me…some secrets are meant to be secrets." I could sense the hurt shedding out of his voice, causing me to feel a bit guilty. "But…you're going to have to overcome this fear _sometime. _And, I'm going to help you…and by helping you I mean making you face your fear. I'll be next to you the whole time." He got up and held out a hand. "I promise."

At first, I was going to say no. I was going to tell him "No, not in a million years would I _ever _step in a theatre, _ever again._" But that was when I looked at the hand. That was when I looked into those deep, dark, eyes and that was when his promise slapped me in the face. Sometimes this irritates me…how I'm _always _giving in to whatever he's saying. However this time…I felt like he actually had a point. If I want to end the hallucinations of the frightening man's face, the shrieks and sirens, and the metal gun out of my mind…I'm going to have to face it, sadly. But what if I cause a scene?

What if the same incident from _that night _ happens again?

"_I'll be next to you the whole time. I promise." _I heard Jack's voice resound in my ears. That's when I knew I had to make the decision I know I'll regret.

I did it.

I grabbed the hand.

He smiled, and literally dragged my hand toward the movie theatre, causing me to laugh a bit. By the time we took our seats, the movie had already started with the ominous music eerily playing in the background of the movie. I kept darting my head around the theatre with haste and distress.

_Is he there? _

_Is he listening? _

All those thoughts whirled around in my head madly…when I felt a hand gingerly touch mine. I nearly jumped out of my seat, facing Jack as his hand was placed on top of mine. Even from the darkness, I could still see that kind smile plastered on his face, facing me with those kind eyes.

"It's okay, you're fine." He said. "Nothing's going to happen. Just watch the movie…and by the way…" He drew his face, closer to mine, and our faces centimeters apart. I could feel his long, deep breaths tickling my ears, as his mouth was close to it, like he was about to tell me a secret. "I think I'm calling the bet off." He hissed. I laughed, and smiled at Jack.

Just one look.

That was all it took for Jack to figure out what was going on with me.

I had to admit…I was relieved that the bet was off. Honestly… I didn't think I could've pulled off the bet. I definitely would've lost. _Yeah…I'm admitting that. _

Yeah, I know it's pretty Un-Crawford of me, right?

Well…every girl's got her soft side.

Even me.

I smiled at Jack, and did something I couldn't nearly picture myself doing. I rested my head on his shoulder, and watched the characters in the movie coming to life on the screen. I could feel his arm hesitantly, and daintily wrapped around me, which sent tingles down my spine, once again. I sighed…how I wish I could've told Jack the truth. But I just didn't know how to put it together. I didn't know how to tell him the nerve-binding story that changed my life forever. Luckily he hasn't bugged me about it…_yet. _

I sighed once more, and as I faced my fear to watch the stupid movie (which wasn't as bad as I expected) I realized something…why I'm probably never going to tell Jack. Why I'm probably never going to tell the world.

Why I'm probably never going to tell you.

Some mysteries are best left unsolved.

* * *

><p>"Dang, this place is HUGE, man!" Jerry yelled gawking in awe at the Bobby Wasabi's Banquet Hall.<p>

Can't argue with that.

A crystal chandelier twinkled throughout the entire Hall, which was three times as big as the Bobby Wasabi Dojo. Well, when Bobby said lunch was on him today, he was not kidding. An extensive table was covered in trays of all kinds of assorted foods, and a large chocolate fountain. A number of tables were spread throughout the area of the room, with fancy wine glasses were decoratively placed around the circular table. Large, architectural pillars were posted at each corner of the rectangular area. There were a number of people scattered around the room, making it a bit crowded, with a large rumble of noise echoing across the Hall. All were dressed in somewhat formal clothing…the women wearing silky frocks and the men wearing a tee shirt with a suit over it, making it formal with a hint of casual. I glanced at the boys, who simply wore a plain T-Shirt and jeans. I quickly glanced at my outfit. A casual, frilly dress with a cardigan. Exceptional…yet I still feeling like an outcast. I looked at Rudy, who was a replicate of the other men…a suit with a tee under it.

"It's like I'm in _heaven._" Eddie said, not taking his eyes of his Buffet table. I smirked at Eddie, but turned to Rudy, with an angry stare.

"Rudy!" I hissed. "Why didn't you tell us we were supposed to dress formal for this? We all look like idiots!"

"Hey, I thought you guys knew! It's called The First Meeting, not The First Barbecue!" I shot Rudy an icy glare, and kept looking at my ordinary, everyday dress that is _nothing _compared to the snobby girls (which quite honestly were not many) when I felt a hand rest on my shoulder. I looked up and saw Jack, giving me an annoyed smile.

"You look fine, Kim. Don't care what these people think." He said, now turning his head back to the crowd. I smiled thankfully at the "compliment". "I think we look pretty good."

"Uh, no we don't." Milton argued. Jack gave Milton a "not-helping" look, which just made me smile. "I mean, _I _look formal as usual with my top-of-the-line sweater vests and such. But Jerry has a Falafel stain on his shirt. And Eddie has a food stain…pretty much everywhere."

"What?" Jerry said, taken aback by the irritable looks we've been giving him. "I pig out when I'm at Falafel Phil's. You know that. And Eddie…you really shouldn't be surprised." He looked at Eddie.

"Hey I—!" Eddie was about to argue, his mouth still wide open, but then he closed. "Eh, he's right…you really shouldn't be surprised." I rolled my eyes but couldn't help but give them a small smile. Jack laughed.

"Okay, well let's just find Bobby, get the rules, get the first clue, and be on our way." I said, still looking around to see if anyone was staring at us, with our somewhat sloppy and unceremonious attire. We all glanced over the crowd and saw that long-haired dress wearing freak that sometimes annoys us, but deep down loves standing on the stage. We walked over to Bobby Wasabi, and I tapped his shoulder. He turned around and ostentatiously spread his arms out wide in the air. His hair was tied into a ponytail, and rather wearing a Chinese Man-Dress, he wore a tuxedo, making me feel a bit more humiliated for not wearing something proper.

"Greetings my San Jose Bobby Wasabi dojo! I was uh…hoping to see you all dressed in pretty gowns and tuxedos but…well…" He said, looking at people to see if they were staring at us. I brought my eyes to the floor, in shame.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"So, do you mind just giving us a print out of the notes or something? And the first clue?" Jack asked, backing me up. "We'd really like to—"

"Are you kidding?" Eddie wailed. "We gotta eat first!"

"Shut up, you toad!" Milton scolded. "So, Bobby…about that clue!"

"Oh, just give me moment…" Bobby said, showing a finger towards us. He took a wine glass and a fork and held it out towards us. "Now _this _is how you grab someone's attention…formally. Watch and learn from the Master of not just Martial Arts…but the master of Formal-ness." He fumbled on the last word, and brought the glass and fork together. He gave us a smile and took a deep breath.

"EVERYBODY LISTEN UP!" He screamed clanking the 2 utensils so harshly the glass starting cracking. We all covered our ears, in annoyance and frustration. _Yeah…_real_ mature _Mr._ Wasabi. _

"Greetings!" He said, with that same joyful flip of his hair, and his arms held out so high. "Now, we have all gathered here today to discuss togetherabout the contest that you all have registered to. In search of my _Miao Dao _sword. Now remember, this sword is _priceless _with the Wasabi Code engraved on it, so it's very valuable, and if in the wrong hands…could lead to utter peril. Now, I'm going to let my agent Mr. Kevin Shi discuss about the details of the contest. But before I do that, I'd like you all to separate into your own groups, because right now…you look like a swarm of confused ants. I hate ants. Now, get into your groups all of you!" There was indistinct chattering, as the people in the room shuffled this way and that, causing us to bump into so many people as we were getting in our own spot _away _from Bobby, so he wouldn't have to break our eardrums once more. What was annoying me, was that I had to _constantly _say "excuse me" to everyone that ran into me.

Unfortunately, I missed one person.

I bumped into the person with haste, and fell to the ground. Pain shot through my arm, as I jabbed my elbow severely against the marble pillar.

_Ouch. _

The person helped me up…I could faintly hear the person saying "Oh, I'm so sorry!" repeatedly with a high but sweet as chocolate voice. It must have been a girl. I looked at the girl, giving her a reassuring smile that no hard feelings were made (however my arm was still in pain).

Although when I looked closely at the girl, my smile disappeared.

The girl had pin-straight thin brown hair that flew gracefully over her shoulders. Her eyes were a sea-blue color, spread out wide across her pale face, and she wore a silky navy-blue dress. I widened my eyes. This girl was familiar. I knew her. The second I laid eyes on her…the memories stirred back into my head. The memories of friendship.

It was none other than Grace Miller.

"Grace…what…what are you doing here?" I screamed.

"Kim? You're…? And this…? And you're a part of…?" Grace seemed to be at a loss for words. I folded my arms across my chest, demanding an explanation. Why she's here. Why she hasn't told me. And why she signed up for this contest.

"Forget about me! You know I'm part of the dojo!" I screamed. "I asked you a question…what are you doing here?" Harshness poured out of every word that I said. I don't think I've _ever _spoke to Grace in a tone as ruthless as that. She seemed to have been taken aback by the harshness of my words. But at the moment, I didn't care. Confusion, anger, and helplessness washed over me…which meant I _wouldn't _leave without a clear explanation.

"Kim, I didn't know how to tell you…I…" She began, with tears slightly building up in her eyes. I could feel myself soften up. This made me want to hug her, and tell her that it's okay…but I forced myself from doing that. No way am I _ever _going to forgive my own best friend for lying to me.

"My dad…he's a sensei, and we moved to Miami to open up Bobby's new dojo there. We went there to…compete in this competition."

"But why couldn't you just join _our _dojo?" I asked. Grace opened her mouth, as if she was about to say something, but then I heard the clinking of the fork and wine glass once more.

"Hey! The brunette navy-blue, and the blonde poorly-dressed!" Bobby screamed, pointing a finger in our direction. Hundreds of pairs of eyes followed Bobby's fingers to where Grace and I were standing, already sorted out in groups. "Go to your groups where you belong! We need to keep it goin'!" I gave Grace a disdainful stare, and went to where Jack, Rudy and the rest were standing which as the last group in the line. When I came to cluster that was my group, I saw Rudy holding up the number "20" sign with all the guys holding plates that were covered in all sorts of foods.

"Kim…you okay? What happened?" Jack asked. Before I could answer, I heard Bobby's clinking again.

"SILENCE!" He shrieked. I rolled my eyes and faced Bobby. "Now please give your undivided attention to my agent, Mr. Kevin Shi!" The groups began applauding, even though they had no idea who this person was, as he triumphantly strolled onto the stage, giving Bobby a half-hearted hand shake, taking the microphone.

"Hello contestants!" He said, with a slight Chinese accent, but the American accent dominating. "If you noticed, I have handed your sensei a sign with a number on it. That is going to be your group's number. Remember the number! It's important!"

So _that's _what the "20" meant.

"Now, let's go over the contest rules," He held a long piece of paper, which seemed to have a lot of words portraying from the back. "Okay…so one of the main reasons that we have decided to set up this competition, or Hunt if you will, is to spring Bobby's career back in action. Somewhere in the world, I have hidden the sword, which I haven't even told Bobby, which as you can see, he is really upset about."

"I'm not upset!" Bobby stepped in arguing. "I just…don't like suspense, that's all."

"Anyways, in help with him getting more press, I've made the decision to make this a reality show, entitled 'Unleash the Warrior Hunt'. So, whatever you do, and wherever you go will be monitored by our fellow crew members. Remember…each group gets one cameraman, that's technically going to stalk your trip." Kevin said, smiling. I shook my head in disbelief. "Now, rules…no cheating. Absolutely no police investigating. And remember, this is your _own _work, so you aren't permitted to get help from others that haven't been enrolled in your dojo. However, the choice is yours to create alliances. But especially since this a hunt for the _Miao Dao _sword, here's my piece of advice: trust no one."

_Trust no one…remember that…_

_Trust no one. _

"Okay, and since you have chosen to partake in this…dangerous task, we will cover all the expenses you need. However, if we catch you fooling around with the money, you will automatically be disqualified." Mr. Shi's face was dead serious, causing chills to run up my body, making me regret making the decision to even do this. Especially because of the fact that I may even go head-to-head…with my best friend.

"Now, as you go and look for the clues, here's how it works. It's basically leading from one clue to the next. Sometimes it may be just a stanza. Sometimes it may be an object. If an object, there will be only one. If paper, there will be multiple. So finders keepers, losers weepers. You may have to go around the world for this…only the clues will tell. So keep your eye out, if other group members are involved in stealing it perhaps. If somebody in your group were to leave, or get out and not come back in 24 hours, you will automatically be disqualified. If you fall into our traps, and not come out of it in 24 hours, you are out. Have I made myself clear?" The groups nodded.

" Last thing I have to…ask you before I give you a chance to introduce yourselves, and we give you the first clue." He held the microphone so close to lips, and exhaled deeply, as if he was about to ask the most vital question in the world. "Are you in…or are you out?"

Honestly Mr. Shi…I don't know. This "quest" if you will, seemed like an exhilarating task, even though it is dangerous. But I didn't think it would be _this _precarious. I didn't think I would be up against twenty avaricious, ravenous dojos. And judging by the expressions on their faces, they didn't seem to friendly. And I didn't think I would be head-to-head with my own friend…Grace. Muffled voices rumbled throughout the crowd, as they discussed about the last minute decisions whether or not they still want to find the _Miao Dao _sword.

"Pfft…we don't need confirmation! We already know, we are _so _in!" Rudy said, with an unconfident laugh. "But I'm just making sure. Milton…you in?"

"Oh yeah! Let's get this party started!" Milton said, doing a little dance.

"Jerry and Eddie, are you both in?"

"Yup!" They both said in unison, high-fiving eachother for reassurance. Rudy smiled and turned his giddy face to Jack.

"Jack, what about you?" He asked. "You in?"

"Try and stop me." Jack smiled. And Rudy yet again, approaches me last, putting so much weightage on my one-word answer.

"Kim…eh?" Rudy said, giving me a playful nudge. However, I didn't show a hint of a smile. I was speechless. I tried to open my mouth, hoping a "yes" would breath out…but it didn't. I couldn't. "I…I…" was all that came out. I looked at Grace's group, and all she gave me was a wide-eyed gape. Without even answering, with quick, heavy breaths, I ran out of the room, so I wouldn't have to face Rudy. I could hear Jack call me several times, but I continued to run. That's right.

The Kim Crawford couldn't compete in a deadly game with her best friend.

* * *

><p>As Kim ran out the door, hundreds of pairs of eyes started fixing their gaze on her, with confused murmuring. Grace was one of them. How badly she had wanted to explain Kim <em>everything. <em>Why she had to move to Miami. Why she enrolled in a dojo against hers. Why her father is a sensei.

Why she had lied to Kim.

Grace saw Kim's dojo members eyeballing her…Jack started running towards the door, in the direction of where Kim was running constantly yelling her name. Grace knew she had to go, and she _had _to tell her everything. Before she could leave, a short, blonde-haired man approached their group…which happened to be Kim's sensei, as far as Grace knew. He had a bemused look on his face as he laid eyes on Grace's father…also known as her sensei.

"Eric?" Rudy said, with anger creasing in his voice. "Well…didn't think _you'd _show up for this!"

"How can I not?" Grace's dad said in a rather calm tone. "Wouldn't miss it for the world. Well, may the best win. With my daughter, and my black belt boys' right here, you've got some serious competition, my dear old high school nemesis." Rudy gave a mimicked glare.

"Well, we got some pretty tough hardcore people ourselves, Miller! Unlike you when you were in the ninth grade! Oh, beating you was a lot of fun!" Rudy said, trying to look tough in front of a man who was twice his size. However, Grace honestly saw it as an epic fail.

"Oh, like the Blondie that fled the Banquet Hall in tears? Yeah…real tough kids you got. And by the way…I beat you up twenty times in high school, and you've…only beaten me once." Eric said with a sly smile. Again Rudy gave a mocking stare, and left keeping pointing two fingers to Grace's dad's eyes…beckoning that he's "watching" him.

Grace couldn't take it no longer. A guilty feeling covered her like a blanket, and lumps started forming in her throat. Tears started filling up in her eyes. She started running to the exit doors of the Hall to talk to Kim.

When her dad caught her arm.

"Dad," She chocked. "I really need to talk to Kim. Please, Dad."

"If you love me, and if you want our Bobby Wasabi dojo to be number one, then you won't go to her…you'll leave her be." He hissed in her ear. The grip that Eric had on Grace's hand slightly softened. Grace quickly wiped the tears from her eyes.

And reluctantly, Grace Miller backed away from the exit, feared that her friendship with Kim Crawford might be at stake.

* * *

><p><span>JACK<span>

"Kim! Wait!" I screamed, as she continued sprinting at a high speed. Luckily, she finally stopped and faced me, with a puffed up face as her burning red cheeks distinguished with her water filled eyes. We ended up standing face-to-face in the hallway, where it was gloomy and quiet. I put an arm comfortingly on her shoulder, but she just wiped her eyes quickly. I couldn't bear see Kim like this…so confused, and so lost. First it was last night with the ambiguous screams and hyperventilating, and now this? Very, _very _un-Crawford like. But that's still one of the things I love about her.

Scratch that last part. Please. It's not what you think. I'm not getting in the denial moment. It puts me in a state where I can't think straight.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I can't compete in that thing. Not anymore. I'm sorry…I quit." She said walking out. Instead I grabbed her arm to stop her.

"What are you talking about? Why'd you change your mind?" I asked, with a little harshness.

"I…Grace…she's competing in this." She admitted, wiping more tears from her eyes. I softened my eyes, and did nothing but stare at her.

"She is? How?" I asked.

"She told me that her dad is a sensei, and she moved there to compete in this…against us. But…I can't go head to head with my friend, and watch her…get hurt." She whimpered.

"She lied to you, didn't she?" I said. She looked up, and nodded. "Then…she's not a friend, Kim. You, especially deserve a better friend than that."

"But just because she's probably not my friend anymore…doesn't mean I can't _be_ a friend." She said.

"If you want a summer adventure, you're going to have to face this, instead of run away from it…it's not going to help you in any way…the only person that's going to gain the satisfaction…is Grace." I said. "We're going to figure out the clues together. We're going to beat her together. And we're going to have the best summer ever…together." And before I could say anything else, she flung her arms around me, and squeezed me tight, which caused my cheeks to slightly heat up. I smiled and I hugged her back. I couldn't help but feeling…actually happy that she was hugging me.

_Don't get in the moment Jack, don't get in the moment Jack…_

"Thank you," She said softly. She released her arms and wiped her eyes once more. And she smiled, which ultimately caused me to smile.

"So, are you going to do it?" I asked.

"Yeah…looks like it." She sighed. I gestured towards the door, and she followed me into the Banquet Hall. As I flung the doors open, hundreds of pairs of eyes strolled along to us, fixing their gaze on us. Being the confident Kim she was, she sauntered off to where Rudy and the rest were, and she gave Rudy a half-hearted smile.

"Let's do it." She said. They all smiled, giving her inaudible "thank-you's" which made me laugh a bit.

"Alright, so #19, from Texas…" Kevin said, giving them a polite smile. "Would you like to stay, or back out? Remember this is the last chance to call it quits. So far, none of the teams have gone out. What will dojo number 19 say? Oh, pressures are rising, drama is rapidly—"

"Uh Kevin, you know that they're not actually recording this and broadcasting it…right?" Bobby stepped in. I could see Mr. Shi's face go a bit red, which made me chuckle.

"Uh, pfft, of course I knew that, I was just…" He said, his voice trailing off. I could tell he was trying to make an excuse, but nothing coming out. "So, number 19, yes or no?" He asked, changing the subject. I shook my head in disbelief.

"You bet your sweet corn I do!" The sensei said in somewhat of a southern accent. The dojo members cheered, high fiving their sensei.

"Okay then…so lastly number 20 from our hometown here in San Jose, California…are you in or out? Once again…there's no going back. This may be your last chance to back out." I looked at Kim who still had a feared, unconfident look on her face. She darted her eyes towards me, and I nodded with confirmation. She nodded to Rudy. Rudy looked at all of us.

We all nodded. All five of us.

"Yep…we're in! We're totally macho tough!" He said, eyeing one of the sensei's in the groups. I looked at the sensei and saw Grace giving us a stunned look.

So she is here. Competing with us. _Great. _

"Then it's settled!" Kevin yelled gleefully, spreading his arms out wide in the air. "Now my assistants will hand you all, the first clue. I wish you all the best of luck. The countdown to the 21 days will begin tomorrow. But we are giving you the first clue in advance to help plan accordingly. Now, from tomorrow onwards, you will be given someone that will come along with you to your travels, taping and recording you. So, remember…everything you do or say is public. So best of luck…and May the force be with you." The audience clapped accordingly, as 20 men in black pinstripe suits assembled in front of each group, showing the sensei's a giant manila envelope. Like robots, the pinstripe assistants handed the sensei's the envelope simultaneously, and Rudy eagerly tore the manila envelope open to reveal the clue.

"What's inside, what's inside?" Jerry eagerly shrilled, like a little kid. "Hurry up!"

"What do you think is in there, stupid?" Milton scolded. Jerry rolled his eyes.

"This is so exciting!" Eddie said cheerfully. "First stop...Chinese food!"

"Okay, so we got the contest rules in here, some paperwork that I believe needs signing, blah, blah, blah…" Rudy kept shifting through the envelope. "Ah! Here it is!" He pulled out a white colored index hard that was about half the size of regular paper. We curiously huddled around it, reading the first clue that was going to start our hunt.

"Whoa…" Kim said, as she skimmed her brown eyes through the card.

On the index card it read…

_In this place, we are richly worshipped. _

_Stars glisten in the sky, as dragons soar through the ground. _

_Lamps fill the air, however these stores you must beware. _

_For in the shop with the wings, I will be there. _

Nothing.

All we did was exchange glances.

Confused glances.

This Hunt was going to be harder than I've ever imagined.

* * *

><p><strong>AN-Whoa. Haha, hope you all enjoyed the second chapter! Okay, let's have a recap. The reason why I created the first scene where they're at the movie theatres, is because I wanted to give you a little…background to Kim's very first fear that haunts her…a secret that's going to impact later in this story. And you basically see Kim's "soft" side in that part, too. But don't worry…this chapter wasn't as humorous, so I'm going to try and make it funny next time! So, that was my reason behind writing that. Also, I hope you liked the plot twist! Turns out Grace is competing AGAINST Kim! Will the hunt for the **_**Miao Dao**_** sword have a happy ending? Looks like you're just going to have to wait and see! REVIEW! Thanks so much for the support! Chapter 3 is on the way! **

**Peace and Love, **

**~Taylor **


	3. Friends or Enemies?

**A/N- Hey guys! This is Taylor back with the 3****rd**** Chapter for The Hunt! And as mentioned earlier, the credits to this chapter goes to TheWritingGames! She offered to write this chapter, and I'm incredibly happy she did! She's an amazing writer, so having her write make a "guest-star appearance" for this story is simply amazing! Especially because of how well this story is doing already! So, thanks again to the TheWritingGames for writing this, and I hope you all like it! She did want to put her own Author's note, so here it is! :**

**TheWritingGames A/N: Hey guys! I'm Ariana, but you might know me as TheWritingGames. I write a lot for Kickin' It, and Taylor generously let me guest star on this chapter of The Hunt! Our writing styles are a bit different, and she edited this chapter, so I hope you enjoy and I hope my writing is as good and as satisfactory as Taylor's. :) It was a great honor to be able to guest star for this chapter and I hope I'll be able to do a couple more in the future! Happy reading!**

KIM

"Where is Jack?" Milton complained. "We can't exactly start without him."

I tore my eyes away from the main dojo mat, where Rudy was helping Jerry and Eddie with their one-on-one sparring techniques. I cast a glance towards Milton, resting my chin in my hands as my eyes returned towards the mat, where Jerry attempted to poke Eddie in order to distract him. I almost laughed at the ridicule these two were playing, yet still acknowledging that they're at least _trying _to do something productive. However Rudy, of course, didn't accept the poking.

"Hello? Kim?" Milton waved a hand in front of my face vigorously, causing me to snap out of my daze and to also become slightly annoyed at his actions. "Earth to Kimberly?"

I briefly considered slapping him or something as retaliation for using my full name, but the summer heat was taking its toll on my usual actions and thoughts. The warm haze wrapped foggily around my brain as I muttered, "What was your question?"

"I'm asking where Jack is," Milton repeated. Lucky him—the heat didn't seem to be affecting his brain cells yet. "He's been gone for over ten minutes. I wish he would hurry up."

It was true that we were inside the dojo, but the doors of the dojo were open, allowing the stifling heat to creep in on us like poison gas. The old air conditioning was trying its best to cool the area, puttering noisily, but as we were near the entrance, it didn't do much to hold back the barrier of heat. A drop of sweat rolled down my back, and I twisted my shoulders, trying to satisfy the itch.

"Well?" Milton was still evidently waiting for a response and if I knew one thing, he was going to keep persisting until he got my opinion on his complaint.

I dragged my legs up onto the wooden bench, drawing my knees up to my chin and wrapping my arms around my legs. "So you don't want a smoothie?" I countered. "It's nearly over one hundred degrees out and Jack will be back soon—unless you don't want your Seaweed-Strawberry Brain Explosion from the Smoothie Barn. In that case, I'm sure Jerry or Eddie would be more than happy to take care of it for you."

"Of course I want my smoothie!" Milton exclaimed, an offended look spreading across his features. "It has so many Vitamins—"

"Okay, okay," I stopped him before he could get too much into the explanation. Frankly, seaweed mixed with strawberry—heck, seaweed mixed with _anything_—was a little too much for my stomach at the moment.

And the heat wasn't helping at all.

"I…hate…heat…waves…" I sighed as I swiped another drop of sweat from my forehead. My body went limp, and I let myself fall back on the smooth wooden surface of the bench, my arms unwrapping themselves from my legs as my hair swung back and forth slowly with the momentum of my fall.

I concentrated mainly on watching Eddie and Jerry train, glad that they were seeking additional help to improve for the competition—who knew what the other dojos could bring? Fights? Food fights?

A brown-haired, dark-eyed head soon replaced my view of the training mats.

"I sure hope you aren't dead," Jack teased, "Because then I would have to drink your smoothie." He crinkled the plastic bag in his right hand for emphasis. "And that would be great for me, as I got you the Orange-Vanilla Blast…"

"Smoothie?" I shot up from my position, the sudden motion too much for my head. The world blurred and spun for a few seconds before my vision cleared. "Give me that."

Milton hopped over the edge of the bench eagerly and plopped down next to me as Jack set down the bag. "Sorry it took so long," Jack apologized. "The line at the Smoothie Barn was unbelievable…"

Jack handed me a frosty orange treat, condensation starting to run down the edges of the plastic cup, giving it a deliciously cold appearance. I took a sip, the sweet citrus flavor instantly calming me and setting things in my mind back in motion. "Thanks," I smiled warmly at him.

He merely shrugged. "No problem. So, where's the clue?"

"I have it," Milton waved the index card in the air, coming back from his karate locker with his seaweed-strawberry smoothie in hand. I leaned away, not willing to receive a whiff of the "delicious" and "healthy" drink that Milton claimed worked wonders on his brain function. I wanted good grades, yes, but there were just some things I wouldn't do—or drink.

We all stared at the paper for several seconds, spread out on the bench, each contemplating our own thoughts.

_In this place, we are richly worshipped._

_Stars glisten in the sky, as dragons soar through the ground._

_Lamps fill the air, however these stores you must beware._

_For in the shop with wings, I will be there._

"_However these stores you must beware," _Milton repeated in a low voice, his eyes thoughtful. "I'm assuming that means that there will be a trap at any stores with lanterns in front of them?"

_No duh, Detective._

"Well, that settles everything," I replied sarcastically. "Lamps! Great! Any idea on where are we going to _find_ them?"

Jack's gaze was confused and slightly scared as he examined my face, his brown eyes searching for who-knows-what in my expression. "Really, Kim, what has gotten into you today?"

I glared at him. "Nothing, let's just…get back to the clue."

He looked reluctant to drop the subject, but we returned to our random brainstorming for the next ten minutes. I tried several different tactics in my head—flipping the paper over to see if there was anything scribbled on the back, trying to see if words were spelled out vertically or diagonally.

Nothing worked.

"Dragons…" Jack mused thoughtfully. "Could be—never mind—"

Milton shook his head. I was pretty sure he was also tugging out several locks of hair, but I chose to look away.

"This could be anywhere in the world!" I pointed out, examining the card for the fiftieth time. The crisp, white edges were dulling quickly, as a result of our perpetual fidgeting. "Maybe we're thinking too small."

"Fine, then…" Jack crossed his arms. "You have any better ideas?"

"Well, I—"

I frowned as I caught sight of a man at the entrance of the dojo.

"Kim, what are you staring at?"

The man himself wasn't the problem—strangers appeared here all the time—but it was what he was carrying that bothered me. He had a large black camera in tow, the straps lacing around his shoulders and his forearms as he tried to keep it steady. I noticed a scarf was wrapped around his long, slender neck, with a stingy grin wired on his face.

Something told me this wasn't going to be good.

As soon as Rudy had spotted the man, however, he left Jerry and Eddie sparring on the mat and strode forward, shaking the cameraman's hand. "You're the cameraman, right? I'm Rudy, and—"

"Right, right," the cameraman cut him off. He had a thick British accent, and my ears detected Jerry and Eddie snickering at his voice. "I'm going to be recording and taping you for the whole hunt, so just—do you whatever you do, yeah? I might ask you all to preform differently or re-do scenes, but just try to act natural."

Well, it's nice to meet you too, cameraman. Subtle, much?

"Hey," I greeted the cameraman. Although he had been a bit rude to Rudy, I decided to give him a new chance—after all, I liked being on camera, and he was currently sporting one. "My name's Kim—what's yours?"

"Eric," he replied without a beat's hesitation, focusing on cleaning the camera lens more than me.

I struggled to keep my temper in check, pointing at his camera. "Hey, nice equipment," I commented. "My school uses the same kind of camera."

Eric's eyes flickered in interest. "Really? What for?"

"We do a local school news channel," I shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm the main anchor."

He laughed. "How cute," he remarked before losing interest in me entirely.

_Cute?_

Before I could argue my point—or, rather, attack him for being so rude—Jack had grabbed me by the wrist and tugged me back to the bench, whispering, "Focus on the clue, Kim."

I noted that Eric was eyeing Jack's hand on mine with an air of interest around him, and I quickly yanked my hand away from his and settled down on the bench. "Of course. Wouldn't want to get distracted."

A cold feeling crept up my spine as Eric hovered around Jerry, Eddie, and Rudy's training session. He didn't do much but film and occasionally request that one of them look at the camera, but something about it unsettled me. I noticed Jack shooting disconcerted glances at Eric, but he didn't say anything.

"Right," Jack shook his head, turning his attention from Eric to the clue. "I think we should—"

"So this is the famous Bobby Wasabi dojo of San Jose, huh? I have to say, you guys don't like much."

My head snapped up from the paper and I quickly slid it behind my back, instantly paranoid.

"Really?" Milton muttered. "The second interruption in ten minutes?"

Seeking the source of the antagonistic comment, I detected the person who possessed the mocking tone—a group of teenagers the same age as us, crowded around the entrance of our dojo. They wore karate gi's, decorated slightly differently than ours…and wore vicious sneers. All the boys seemed about the same age as us…perhaps a year or two older, much to their advantage unfortunately. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Eric perk up and direct his cameras towards us.

"Who are you?" Jack asked rudely, stepping forward defensively, his voice sharp. On instinct, I reached out and grabbed the closest part of him to me—his wrist. Jack was _known_ for doing impulsive things to protect his pride, and this was just the kind of situation that would set him off.

Of course, I was pretty annoyed as well, so I stood up fluidly, assuming an offensive stance.

"San Francisco Bobby Wasabi Dojo," the leader, who I assumed had posed the question, explained, while eying me. "The name's Drake. And this _mah_ crew right here…we seriously know how to kick butt…probably way better than you babies. We were going to take a look at the other competition and you—hey, aren't you the girl that ran out during the banquet?"

I was positive my cheeks flushed a deep red, but I managed to glare at the boy, focusing on his eyes. The orbs were an ice blue, showing no depth but plenty of trouble. White-blond hair covered his head in a way that looked too perfect, like it had come out of a magazine, hairs that looked so fine and delicate that I was tempted to attack him and tear at the locks to see if they were real or not.

"Pretty tough, you are," Drake smirked. "Only girl in a dojo full of boys, I see?"

My teeth ground together, grating in annoyance and humiliation. Need I remind this guy that it was too hot outside for my liking, and that I was already frustrated at our obvious failure at an attempt to figure out a clue? Drake was really asking for a fight.

"You know, I bet they—"

I made a move to slap him, fully aware that the camera was trained on me, but Jack cupped one of my shoulders with his hand and yanked me back forcefully, throwing me off balance and sending me toppling into his chest. "Don't, Kim—"

"And who is this, your boyfriend? Aww, does he have to fight your fights for you?"

This time, it was unanimous. Jack and I charged them at the same time, and it was like someone had hit the _play_ button in a movie—everyone sprang into action. Jack attacked the other three groupies while I aimed for the head two—the one who'd been openly insulting me and his second-in-command.

Eric was grinning like crazy, ducking this way and that to get footage of the new fight. Jack took a hard punch to the left side of his jaw, and, nearly screaming in anger (he's pretty scary when he gets like that), sent his attacker flying cleanly through the glass window on the right, the glass bursting under the momentum and shooting saber-like shards everywhere.

He was quickly followed by his two friends.

Defeating Drake's second in command was a piece of cake—one dragon kick and I was good to go—but the leader was actually proving to be quite difficult.

"So, you can actually fight," I noted, grunting as I dodged his sweeping leg.

He merely threw a punch at me, accompanied with an unattractive glare.

I half expected Jack to swoop in and save me, like the hero that he was, but instead, all he did was leap up into the air and swipe the Katana sword from its perch on the wall, flinging it at me all in one swift motion.

The grip thudded into my hand at exactly the right angle, and I immediately unsheathed it, using the hand with the cover to bat away his punch, which left the blonde's neck unguarded and his body unbalanced. The tip of the sword was at his neck in an instant, silver flashing against the soft flesh of his throat.

What happened next?

No, I did not cut Drake's head off or slit his throat, although it was very—and I mean _very—_tempting, from the way they'd insulted me…

So, what did he do? What did I do?

Well…let's just say that Katana swords are very sharp, and very shiny.

And having a _very, very, very _pointy sword at your neck causes you to rethink your options.

His eyes bulged, half in fury and half in fear. He raised an arm to knock the sword from his throat, but I smirked.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. I'm warning you now…this sword is _very_ sharp." A manic grin stretched across my face, and I made a move to step forward with the sword still held out. He stumbled back from the blade, thrown off balance, and nearly tumbled to the floor before catching himself.

The rest of his "team" was beginning to assemble behind him, staggering around like they had received a little too much to drink. I removed the sword from his neck and pointed at the door. "Go."

Four of the five members started to leave, but the blond yanked me towards him by the shirt collar before I could stop him, the sword clattering to the ground as it was knocked out of my hand. Drake whispered in my ear in a low voice: "Be afraid, Blondie. Very, _very_ afraid for your dojo."

I slapped him across the face, as hard as I could, my blow striking him right in the middle of his model-perfect cheek.

He left.

The dojo was silent after their abrupt departure, when all of a sudden Jerry piped up, "Whoa! Can we use Kim's sword now?"

"I believe that's my sword…" Rudy stepped forward, an eyebrow raised, his palm held out expectantly. "Was the fighting really necessary, Kim? And the shattering of windows?"

I shrugged as I handed the sword over. "He insulted me, the dojo, and Jack. Yes, it was necessary. And I believe Jack threw them into the windows, not me."

A grin stole across Rudy's face. "Point made."

Jerry, Eddie, and Milton all attempted to slam their chests together in a victorious but very unflattering manner. I settled for just high-fiving Jack, a warm feeling spreading through me. If all the dojo's members were of about this kind of skill level, we shouldn't have that much of a problem in terms of fighting.

"Good job, partner-in-crime," I teased. "You know, maybe I'll let you fight the really bad guys someday."

Jack laughed. "I—"

"Wait!" Eric's thick British accent cut through our celebration like a hot knife through butter. "Right there. Jack, Kim—instead of high-fiving in victory, hug."

"Excuse me?" I choked out.

Eric waved his hand impatiently at me. "Romantic tension, yes? A bit of romance always makes the ratings shoot up higher than Bobby Wasabi's sausage consumption. Yes, hug each other! I'm not asking you to kiss—"

I turned to Jack—

"Yet," Eric finished.

My first attempt at a staged hug with Jack was a complete failure.

And that was putting it lightly.

Spontaneous, in-the-moment hugs I could do without any major head-bumping. But staged hugs, ones that I had to do over and over again until I got the _correct amount of joy in my face_ right or something like that?

No, I can't do those.

Not in a million years.

"Kimberly," Eric stressed my full name, increasing the temptation to punch him in the face by tenfold. "You and Jack have to connect more—there's chemistry here! So go along with it!"

"Milton," I whispered loudly. He was watching us while absentmindedly examining the clue with an air of boredom written across his face. Jerry and Eddie had returned to sparring, snickering at us and our predicament. He looked up as soon as I'd uttered his name. "Go to the chemistry lab later and whip up an explosive liquid, will you? I think we need to show this British dude what real, hardcore chemistry actually is."

Jerry snickered. "Nice one, Kim!"

Jack rolled his eyes at my quip and sighed. "Kim, it's just a simple hug. See?"

And with that, he stepped forward unexpectedly, wrapping his arms around me. I stumbled back, stunned at his bravery, but soon my arms were tightened around the middle of his back before we broke away, Jack smiling hugely and nodding inconspicuously at me.

It was natural.

It was warm.

And I _hope_ that it was caught on camera…because if it wasn't, I was going to kill Eric.

* * *

><p>I loved the library.<p>

Especially the one in downtown San Jose. Why? It's large, it's elegant, and it's mature. There's a certain kind of reverence on every single floor, even the ones with kids running around like crazy. Books were stacked in every corner of the library, in all kinds and sizes. Plush chairs were parked in a few corners of the library, with a tableside lamp, making it a comfortable place to soothingly sit, and read. There was a unique type of respect, a peaceful feeling that makes you feel more powerful just by stepping foot into the building.

Plus, it's _cold._ It has actual air conditioning, unlike the dojo.

And it's really quiet—

"WOO!"

I clapped a hand over Jerry's mouth, cutting off the rest of his whoop, wrenching his arm behind his back painfully as we teetered off of the elevator. He whimpered in pain and I released him, brushing all of the _Jerry _Germs off of me in slight disgust. I was pretty sure he'd worn that shirt yesterday…and the day before that…

"Jerry," I stressed, my voice pitched down to a low whisper. "It's a _library._ No noise, got it? Or we get kicked out."

Jack patted my shoulder. "Go easy on him. We're only here to do research, right? Us, and our little stalker," Jack nodded towards Eric, who was rebooting his camera equipment.

The fifth floor was designated mainly for research. Several rows of computers cut straight through the middle, the informational desk taking its place on the right. Shelves piled high with reference materials just waiting to be read towered towards the wooden ceiling. The lady manning the desk had shot us a sharp, disappointed glare as soon as Jerry had yelled, and my cheeks flushed a deep red.

Since I didn't seem likely to make a move, Jack grabbed my elbow and steered me towards the bank of the computers, settling down right next to me while Milton took a seat to my right.

We were here to research about the _Miao Dao _sword, since after another ten minutes of wondering at the dojo, we'd come up with nothing. Rudy had saddled us with Jerry and Eddie at the last minute, and we had to drag them across three city buses, all the way through town to get them here. It was miracle we were still alive.

"Here, I'll look up books," I whispered as Jack and Milton booted up their computers. "You guys can look up facts on the Internet."

"What about Jerry and Eddie?" Milton pointed out.

I rolled my eyes, "They won't be paying attention anyway. They're looking up concert tickets for Maroon 5 right now."

* * *

><p>There was nothing but silence for a few minutes as we clicked and tapped away on the keyboards. Jerry and Eddie were giggling at something on Eddie's computer screen, and I threw a pencil at them in an attempt to get them to shut up.<em> Boys.<em> You can never bring them back to Planet Earth, no matter how hard you tried. They'll always remain in their own little cold, heartless planet where the only things that mattered were themselves.

Except for Jack, of course….he's different. He's not a part of the "Boy Planet". He's actually designated to be in Earth. With that kind smile, that eternal heart, that noble, respectful, charming…

_Back to the Miao Dao sword please, Kim. _

I shook my head, resuming back to my research…where all I found were loads and loads of _nothing._

"Okay, this is kind of creepy," Jack muttered in my ear. "The name _Miao Dao_ means _sprout saber_ in Chinese."

In spite of myself, I grinned. "How is that scary?"

"Well, maybe that isn't, but this picture sure is."

I tore my eyes away from the library's online catalog of their books and sought out a picture of a huge sword—silver, sharp, and very, very deadly. If the tip even touched you, it would slit the delicacy of your skin causing you to bleed like hell. It made Rudy's Katana sword look like a plastic toy.

"And, look at this article…it's written in Chinese. It's about the _Miao Dao_ sword. If you look at the article, this is the _only _word it says. What does it mean?"

Jack switched links, and I found myself face-to-face with writing I've never seen before in my life. And he was right…the same word was written throughout the entire page. The title was written in huge letters, looking like drawings:

"危机"

I gave Jack a shrug, with confusion and helplessness.

"I don't know, but something's telling me it doesn't look good." Jack said.

"How can you be so sure?" I laughed. "It's Chinese…you don't even know what it means."

"On the contrary, Miss Know It All," Jack teased. "I learned a bit of Chinese from my Grandfather when I was little. And I remember this word, these letters, I just…you know what never mind." He switched links back to the picture with the deadly looking sword that makes me shudder, every time I look at it.

"Holy Christmas Nuts," Milton breathed. "It's beautiful."

"Okay," I raised my hands, just a tad bit wary now, concerned for Milton's sanity. "While you, Jack, and Milton go shopping for your new sword girlfriends—"

Jack's face was clearly affronted.

"I," I stood up, pushing my chair back, "am going to go get this book I found." I waved a little slip of paper on which I'd written the call number for the book down on, and I headed into the maze of bookshelves, intent on searching for the _Miao Dao_ book.

My hand trailed down the side of the dark, wooden shelves, and I allowed myself a moment's peace before straining my eyes and attempting to skim over the thousands of numbers swimming before me.

_There._

I kneeled down and reached for the book on the _Miao Dao_—

Just as someone else darted around the corner, their hand bumping into my fingers.

My head snapped up, expecting Jack, but instead it was another boy, one I didn't recognize. He had on a Bobby Wasabi t-shirt, which immediately set me on edge, as he wasn't from our dojo. Shocked hazel eyes stared down at me, and he immediately ran a hand through his dirty-blond hair.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "You can have it."

I wrapped my hand around the top of the book and stood up slowly. "Are you in the Hunt?" I asked, hugging the book to my chest self-consciously. Hey, I had total rights to ask this. He was wearing a Bobby Wasabi t-shirt, and he was going for the same book on the Miao Dao as I was.

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, but managed to give me a bashful smile, "Yes. I'm Travis—what about you?"

Travis held out his hand for me to shake and I took it slowly, a smile spreading across my face tentatively, heat spreading across my face at the contact. "I'm Kim."

Now that I thought about it, he was actually kind of cute.

"Oh, well, nice to meet you. I'm here with my dojo—" Travis pointed towards another set of computers, a row I hadn't seen, where five or six more teens the same age as us were searching the screens intently. "And about the clue—I know it's hard, and—"

"Kim? Who's this?"

I whirled around, coming face-to-face with Jack, who was striding up with a worried expression plastered on his face. As soon as he saw who I was talking to, though, his eyes hardened in defense. I noticed his dark brown eyes scrutinizing the Bobby Wasabi t-shirt that Travis was sporting, and in spite of myself, I turned red, yet again.

"Oh—well—um, Jack, this is—"

"My name's Travis," Travis took over my stuttering explanation, holding out a hand to Jack as he had done for me. Jack didn't look like he wanted to accept it, but he took it anyway.

"I'm Jack. I'm from Kim's dojo as well."

Jack's sudden change in emotions surprised me. It was as if he was going through a mood swing. One second he'd been slightly cheerful and worried and the next, he was cold and distant, his dark eyes practically boring holes into Travis's.

I was fairly sure that Jack was not—and _could_ not, as it was genetically impossible—be jealous so I settled on the fact that maybe he was just defensive of our dojo.

"Hey," Travis whispered. "You guys seem really nice, and I'm sure the rest of your dojo is. I know the clue is really hard and, well…"

Jack and I leaned in expectantly.

"Everyone else we've seen has had trouble with it, but we think we've figured it out—do you want our help?" Travis shifted uncomfortably at this point, after he'd posed the question. "I'm pretty sure my whole dojo would be willing to point you guys in the right direction, at least."

"You're offering to help us?" My mouth dropped open in shock. Jack's mouth, however, hardened into a straight line and his glare at Travis only intensified in distrust, the once warm brown eyes now distant and cold.

Travis rubbed the back of his neck again—it was actually pretty cute when he did that, as weird as it sounded.

_No. Don't think about that._

"Well, yes," Travis shrugged. "I know we're against each other in the competition but in a way, we're all working together to try to find the _Miao Dao_, right? And I'd hate to see you guys fail, because you seem really nice."

I smiled hugely, a grin nearly splitting my face in half. Maybe, just maybe, we could finally figure this goddamn clue out. This clue had been driving me insane, and I was desperate to get some relief and finally get something done. "Wow, Travis, that's so—"

Jack pinched me.

Hard.

"Ow, what was that?"

Jack's breath tickled my ear, and I shivered as he whispered, "_Trust no one, remember? It's what they said._"

I stared at Jack for a moment. He widened his large, coffee-brown eyes in an attempt to convince me, innocence pouring through the earnest orbs.

It occurred to me that while Travis was pretty cute, Jack was cuter.

Wait, what?

I forced out a smile and a resigned sigh, directing it at Travis, whose expression was eager. "Look, Travis, I'm really sorry—you're really nice and everything, but we just don't know if we can…uh, you know…trust you."

Jack relaxed, his posture slumping in relief—quite noticeably, I might add.

I'd expected for Travis to get really angry at our blatant refusal, but he merely shrugged. "I respect your decision—it's fine. Hey, I'd be wary too. If you want some help, though, don't hesitate to ask us."

Jack nodded stiffly. "Yeah, thanks."

And with that, Travis left, slipping through the shelves and rejoining his dojo.

As soon as Travis was out of earshot, I whipped back around and abruptly whacked Jack across the shoulder with the book.

He recoiled in shock and pain, glaring at me. "What the heck was that for?" he hissed.

"He was going to help us with the clue!" I retorted, reminding myself to keep my voice down, as we were still in a library. "And you were cold, mean, and you turned him down!"

"What if he was just using you?" Jack pointed out. "What if he was going to give us some wrong pointers? I saw him checking you out, as well—"

"Oh, is Jack Anderson getting insecure now?" I raised my eyebrows. "And jealous? I can take care of myself!"

We glared at each other for a couple of seconds in dead silence, both of our minds working furiously, before Jack took a deep breath and released it through his nose, his eyelids sliding over his brown eyes before they opened again.

"A pretty girl, alone in the library—hey, no wonder he'd be willing to help," Jack shrugged nonchalantly. "I just thought…hey, I was trying to protect you."

"Did you just indirectly call me pretty?" I challenged, still not willing to forgive him that easily.

He shook his head. "Let's just go back."

My mood lightened considerably as we neared the bank of computers and I noticed Jerry's webpage opened up to Wikipedia—but my heart sank when I realized that he was looking up Madison Square Garden, and trying to win Maroon 5 tickets along with Eddie. I'll admit Adam Levine is _hot,_ but really? We were at the library for research purposes, not to win tickets to a concert. Eddie and Jerry were offering no help at all and my grip on the freshly retrieved book tightened in anger.

"Any luck, Milton?" I asked hopefully as I slid back into my seat, my patience wearing thin. Milton was the ultimate mastermind, in both books and in researching the Internet for any clues. If anyone could have found something, it would have been him.

He shook his head regretfully. "No, Kim, I'm sorry. I could keep looking, if you'd like, but—"

"Hey, Kim!" Jerry whispered cheerily, the whisper louder than he'd intended for it to be, looking up happily from his computer. "If we call at exactly the right time on the radio station KIIS FM, we could win Maroon 5 tickets in Madison Square Garden!"

I stood up angrily, my final shred of patience evaporating into thin air.

"Kim?" Milton prodded. "Should I research more—?"

"Let's just go," I snapped, wrenching the _Miao Dao_ book off of the table and throwing it in a book cart as I passed the entrance to the elevators, preferring to take the stairs.

Because chances were, if Jerry and I happened to be in a shared space as small as an elevator shaft, the ride would end with me at the entrance to the sliding doors, holding his dead body in frustration.

* * *

><p>"Did you find anything?"<p>

It was nearly dark by the time we had returned to the dojo, with Eric in tow. I'd barely noticed him at the library, but he was now shadowing our every move.

I'd nearly fallen asleep on the bus ride back to the dojo, but Jack had patted my leg comfortingly as I leaned my head against the window, and I only remembered some vague details—getting off of the bus, etc. Milton's head had been hunched over his iPhone the whole entire length of the bus ride, his brain, eyes, and hands still combing the Internet for facts.

_Oh, crud._

Rudy's hopeful tone just worsened my mood and my guilt. Maybe we should have stayed longer—I don't think I nearly tried hard enough, now that we were actually back. Jack and Milton were right by my side, but Jerry and Eddie weren't even paying attention—they were focused on their phones, waiting for the right moment to call KIIS FM so they could win their stupid Madison Square Garden tickets to see Maroon 5.

"Well, we…" I stuttered.

Milton reddened. "Truth is, Rudy, we—"

"No," Jack whispered. It seemed he had decided just to tell the truth. "We tried, Rudy, we really did, but we didn't find anything that could help solve our clue."

Rudy's dejected expression deepened my guilt. "I'm so Rudy, we really did try but—" I began.

"I know you did," Rudy attempted to put on a brave smile. "And I appreciate all that you three are doing, Kim, but I think we'll have to put some more time into this."

I bit my lip, crossing and uncrossing my legs, the hurt slowly eating away at my insides.

_Grace may win this after all…_

The thought of my ex-best-friend possibly _winning_ the hunt just added more weight to the tight ball of pain in my stomach.

And no, it wasn't cramps.

I rubbed my eyes tiredly, turning to Jack. "Maybe we can—"

"Go, go, go, go!" Eddie screamed at Jerry unexpectedly. I saw Jerry's long fingers struggling to dial his cell phone, and anger flared up in me once more.

"What's going on?" Rudy asked in confusion.

Jack shook his head bitterly. "They're trying to win Maroon 5 tickets."

"Well, anyway, as I was saying," I continued, pulling Milton, Jack, and Rudy away from the excited pair with a certain edge in my tone. "I think we should—"

"Yes!" Eddie screamed into the phone's speakers. "Yeah, we are!"

I glared at them, trying to proceed in my speech. "We should—"

"Yeah! Yeah! Okay!"

Losing all control, I stomped my right foot (like I'd seen in the movies) and went all _drama-queen_ on them, something which I'd promised to myself I'd never do up until now.

Jack's eyes widened.

I whirled towards Eddie and Jerry, throwing every single thing I'd learned about etiquette in those seven years of beauty pageants right out the window. "_Would you shut up?_" I shrieked impatiently. "It seems like Jack, Milton, Rudy, and I are the only ones who actually care about finding the _Miao Dao_ sword and you two are just—"

Their two grins, looking creepily like the Cheshire Cat's smile, startled me into complete silence.

"What?" I ventured, feeling a bit self-conscious.

Eddie waved Jerry's phone in the air triumphantly. "We all just got tickets to see Maroon 5 in Madison Square Garden!"

Wow. Really? As stimulating, and shocking as that sounded, I was still upset with them.

"That's right, baby, you heard us correctly!" Jerry whooped in victory, starting to shuffle across the mat. "_WE'RE GOING TO NEW YORK!_ New York! Pretty ladies, the top celebrities, lots of Chinese food—"

"I love spring rolls!" Eddie interjected giddily.

Jack leaned down and whispered in my ear, "_Chinese food_?"

I rolled my eyes. "Nah, it's just—"

I froze.

And rethought the clue, phrases flitting through my brain at top speed.

_Richly worshipped._

_New York._

_Lamps._

_Dragons._

_Shops._

_Food._

_BEWARE._

"Oh my god…" I whispered…

…Before tackling Jerry in a furious hug.

That's right.

I hugged Jerry Martinez, and willingly at that.

Of course, I dusted off all the germs he probably gave me right after I released him, but as soon as my arms unwound from his waist I started hopping up and down in glee.

Okay, so maybe the stress of the day and the hour of the night was finally getting to my head, as Jack was giving me weird glances while Milton, Eddie, and Jerry whispered among themselves. I think I giggled hysterically, once or twice, or maybe…I don't know…five times?

"Kim!" With my next bounce, Jack managed to trap my shoulders in his hands and hold me down. "Why did you hug Jerry and why are you jumping up and down like you've just won the lottery?"

My grin widened. "I know where the next clue is hidden! And Jerry practically handed it to me!" I couldn't stop smiling at the analysis I just made, thanks to Jerry…and Maroon 5. How stupid of me to not have figured this out earlier!

_Oh my GOD! _

Milton's blue eyes grew as large as saucers as he comprehended what I was saying. I could practically see the gears in his head turning at a furious speed, whirring in an attempt to piece together the clues.

"That's it!" Milton exclaimed. "I think you're onto something! Guys, the next clue is hidden in—"

I confidently finished the answer for him.

"Chinatown."

**A/N- Oh. Em. Gi! Can you believe it? The next clue is hidden in CHINATOWN! Just out of curiosity, who knew it already, just by reading the clue the first time? Share your reactions by REVIEWING! Thank you guys so much for all the support on this story AND for Writers Wanted! Hope you liked the update by the way! Chapter 4 is on the way! And once again, thanks to TheWritingGames for writing this chapter! All credits go to her…the only thing I did was edit this, and add a few things! Yeah…didn't expect it to be this long, but ****hope you guys still liked it! **

**Love always,**

**~Taylor :)**


	4. A New York Mayhem

**A/N- Heyy Kickin' It Lovers! This is Taylor, once again back with Chapter 4 of The Hunt! Holy moly, I didn't expect it to be **_**this **_**long! But, I did put a lot of time and effort into this chapter, so I really hope you guys enjoy it! In this Chapter, you'll get to see their adventure in New York, if they get the next clue, and **_**if **_**Jerry and Eddie get to see the concert of their dreams? Longer and more important A/N in the end. **

**ENJOY THE CHAPTER! **

KIM

The plane ride to New York, I'm sorry to say, wasn't as relaxing as I expected it to be.

Bobby agreed to pay all the plane tickets for us, which I thought was a bit generous. What I didn't realize was that he chose a horrible airline company, with rough, irritating and tiny coach seats. I don't mean to sound spoiled, but throughout the six-hour plane ride all that took place was a lot of regurgitating (by Milton) an imprudent, obnoxious five-year-old kicking the back of my seat, and not to mention a two hour pit-stop in Arizona. As this was a night-flight, you'd expect to actually sleep in a plane ride that long. As for me…I didn't even have the opportunity to shut my eyes for more than three seconds, without being interrupted by Jerry's giddy singing to Maroon 5, Milton's weak moans, Rudy's hyperventilating, and Eddie's constant shuffling through his snack bag. Luckily, Eric had to attend some meeting, therefore not flying with us. At least I didn't have a camera shoved in my face, while I pretend to be someone that I'm not. As for Jack…I have to say he seemed to be the most composed and mature throughout the ride. But I could tell that even Jack was going absolutely crazy with the crammed plane ride away from San Jose.

It was a brittle Saturday morning here in 'The Big Apple' with the sun gleaming radiantly, the clouds lumbering through the light blue sky, and the streets swarming with people, hustling about. Now, this wasn't anything like San Jose, but it was rather fascinating to see. Looking to my right, I could see the oh-so-famous Central Park, with children running around without a care in the world. Smiles plastered on each and every one of their faces, as they joyously played with their friends and family, spending time and bonding with them. How I wished to be in their place, happily playing, feeling like I'm in a whole other universe where the only thing that mattered was having fun. How I wished I could've had more of that "bonding" time with _my _parents.

But this is reality. Your average, typical 14-year-old life, where what really matters is finding priceless artifacts, kicking butt, and joining the wonderful, chaotic world of "love"….and "denial".

"So _this _is New York?" Eddie exclaimed gaping in awe, as we started passing stores.

"It's totally like how I expected it to be!" Jerry said, smiling widely. "Now, where's Madison Square Garden?"

"Rudy, can we go see a Broadway show, please oh pretty please?" Milton begged.

"Hey!" I screamed, eyeballing the two. "We're not here to see Broadway shows, or see Maroon 5 perform. We came here to find the next clue, which is hidden somewhere in Chinatown. We just got to find a stinking shop with wings."

"Maybe the store can fly!" Jerry said, flapping his arms back and forth ludicrously. We all shook our heads in disbelief. I buried my face in my hands helplessly.

"You know what…maybe you should go with Eddie to the concert...like right now." Jack said. Jerry and Eddie shot eachother a high five.

"Okay, but someone's got to go with them!" I proposed. We all stopped walking along the sidewalk, face-to-face with one another.

"Why?" Rudy asked.

"Uh, because Jerry plus Eddie plus concert equals trouble." I said, smirking. Rudy gestured us towards one of the restaurants lying on the streets, which was located at the end of the block. From the frenzy of the crowd, it was hard to decipher the name of the restaurant that Rudy pointed to…but I believe it was called The Wong Fu Diner.

"Let's grab a bite to eat, and then we can decide who goes with Jerry and Eddie to see Maroon 5." Rudy said, as we continued walking to the restaurant. "We need to be at the Wong Fu Diner to meet up with Eric." We all groaned in frustration. Great…just what we need to kick our first day in New York City. Have that video-taping freak thrust cameras in our faces, forcing us to dance like monkeys just for his satisfaction.

After a little walking, we finally made it to the restaurant, which was a Chinese restaurant (no duh). We flipped the doors open, and noticed many people in karate gi's sitting together. They all looked somewhat familiar.

"Guys, some of the other dojos are here, too. Looks like they're on the same page as us." Jack said. _Great. _So looks like _I'm_ not the only ones with the smart brain. Well, I did figure out the clue…you have to give me some intelligence credit for that.

We scanned throughout the restaurant, searching for a guy, perhaps wearing a girly scarf, holding a giant camera, or perhaps even wearing that greedy grin of his.

"Hey guys, there he is!" Eddie pointed to a guy waving in the very back of the crowd. We noticed that he was right…it really was Eric the Cameraman. I didn't know whether to be "delighted" to see him after a while, or frustrated that I'm going to have to give yet another failure of a stage performance. Playing on smiles, we strolled over to the big table Eric was sitting, and sat down, giving him a welcoming grin. Jack took a seat right next to me, with Milton sitting right beside him. Jerry, Eddie and Rudy squeezed in the other side of the booth beside Eric. He still forced on a smile, but I could tell he was squished.

"Hi Eric," I said, smiling. "Nice to see you again. So, we were thinking—"

"Stop! No just shut up!" Eric said, showing a hand in front of us, signaling us to stop what we were doing. He flipped the camera's power switch, fixing his hands on the lens. "_Yes! _Perfect! Jack, put your arm around Kim."

"Huh?" I blurted, gravely hoping he was kidding, or that perhaps I heard him wrong.

"Uh, you heard me, kiddies." Eric said. I exchanged looks with Jack, and all he did was give a nonchalant shrug. I frowned, as he slowly, daintily placed his arm around my shoulder. I grew as stiff as a rock, my face expressionless. However on this inside...there's this weird tickling, vivacious sensation I always seem to get when things like this occur between me and him…butterflies fly around in my stomach…my mind suddenly departs from reality and takes a vacation…

What _is _this feeling?

_It's called love, dumb-butt. _

"Kim, uh…honey," Eric said, stressing the words in his British accent, his lips obliging a smile, and his eyes growing impatient. "I need to see some emotion, kay? More flirty, less frowny…got it?" I shot the cameraman a deathly glare, causing him to back away a little. I coerced an amiable smile, although if you looked straight into my eyes, you could instantly see they were filled with rage.

"Anyway," I said, gritting my teeth, as Jack's arm was still tentatively rested on my shoulders. "We need to come up with a plan so that way Jerry and Eddie can go see their stupid concert, while Jack and I go to Chinatown to find that clue…fast."

"Okay, whoa!" Rudy said, his hands flying up in the air. "You two aren't going alone!"

"Yeah!" Eric chimed in. "Not without me!" He said, his eyes still secured on the lens. We all rolled our eyes. _Of course, how could we forget you, Eric?_

"I meant they need an adult figure they can _trust _on." Rudy said, obviously implying on himself. Eric grew a bit affronted, I could tell. But honestly, it was the true.

We didn't trust Eric the Cameraman. Not one bit.

"Aw, but I want to go with Jack and Kim! I want to see them kick butt!" Milton whined like a little kid.

"Milton, you go with Jerry and Eddie to the concert." Jack said. "They're going to need somebody who has a _brain._"

"Hey!" Jerry and Eddie yelled, looking offended.

"Ugh…FINE." Milton moaned. "I'll go with Jerry and Eddie to see the stupid concert. But next time, I'm picking the music! Probably from the musical styling's of Beethoven¸ or Bach, or—ooo! Tchaikovsky!"

"What are those, like kinds of Pokémon or something?" Jerry said, with that baffled look on his face. I slapped my hand on my forehead helplessly. _Sigh…only Jerry would think world-famous classical musical composers were kinds of Pokémon. _

"You know what…never mind. Maybe I should come with you." Milton said. I couldn't help but laugh as Milton irritably stared at Jerry and his…lack of…intelligence.

"Okay, so Milton, Jerry and Eddie are going to the concert, while Kim, Rudy—"

"Don't forget me!" Eric called out, as he adjusted the zoom on his camera.

"And Eric," Jack stressed. "And I will go to Chinatown to find where the next clue is hidden. Plan?"

"Plan." Eddie said. "Sounds good. Good luck guys. You'll need it."

"Yeah, yeah whatever, plan," Eric said, waving his hands dismissively. "Now Jack…tell Kim she looks pretty. I'm sensing the romance in here…it's the perfect moment how you're so close to eachother."

_Can I kill you right now? _

I stared at Jack and his mouth was wide open, like he attempted to say something, but no words breathed out. I couldn't help but feel a bit hurt, that he couldn't even call me _pretty _for a camera.

"What, do you think I'm _ugly_?" I asked, with pain cracking out of the stiff words I just emitted.

"No, I don't think you're ugly at all, I just—"

"Can't admit it?" I finished for him. I picked his arm up from my shoulders, and jerked it back, folding my arms across my chest.

"No, Kim I think—"

"Can we just order, please?" I said softly, as the waiter approached us. I could feel almost all their eyes fix on me, as I put my head down, choosing the very little dishes I wanted to eat. The rest of the lunch fell silent—well as silent as it could be with Jerry and Eddie's constant chanting to "Misery" and "Moves Like Jagger". In fact, the silence was just between Jack and me.

Ironically, I've never heard silence quite this loud.

This made me even more timid at the outcome of today, with our so-called Game Plan.

And in this context, I wasn't inferring to Milton, Jerry and Eddie's Maroon 5 Concert.

* * *

><p><span>JERRY<span>

I whistled to Moves Like Jagger, as we stood in line just about to enter the experience of our life. My sneaker-clad feet shuffled cheerily along the pavement as I danced my way through the line, with my hot, swagger dance moves. Eddie was jittering so much with excitement, I had to hold his arms just to keep him from spazzing out. Milton seemed clearly annoyed with us, as his eyes grouchily straggled around us, making sure we wouldn't get ourselves in 'trouble'. Clearly, he has no respect towards us.

"Check it, man! We're this close to meeting the best band in the world!" I said, nudging Jerry hard.

"I know! Getting those tickets was the best thing we ever did!" Eddie said cheerily.

"I hate both of you," Milton said, narrowing his eyes at us coldly.

"C'mon man, chill alright? We're about to go live our dream here, and we could really do with Angry McFrowny over here." I accused Milton. He clearly looked insulted, but all I did was merely shrug, and crack a grin.

"Yeah, but I don't think this is the most important thing right now. We have what…19 days to find who knows how many clues to get the Miao Dao sword, so we can receive the Ultimate Prize, and all you two care about is Maroon 5? Well, they're going to be in _Misery _once they see you _Move like Jagger._"

"Hey, if it wasn't for us, Kim would've never found out about the clue!" Eddie countered. "And besides, we're in _New York. _We have to take a little advantage of the opportunity. I mean, come on when are we ever going to get the chance to say that we saw a Multi-Grammy award winning band perform before our very eyes?"

Milton sighed, a bit apologetically. "I just think we should've gone with Jack and Kim. You know, for backup. Who knows what could happen?"

"Uh backup? Milton, you got beaten up by _girls _before, what makes you think you're qualified to be 'backup' material?" I teased.

"Just shut up, and show the guard your stupid tickets." Milton said. I turned around, and before I knew it I came to face-to-face with a dark-skinned man, which caused me to stretch my neck, as if I was looking up at the stars in a shorter angle. The dude was twice my size, man! He wore a stiff, expressionless face, which made it seem as if he was a wax figure rather than an actual human being. He stared down at me, giving me a constipated look.

"_You're _here to see Maroon 5 perform?" He said in a low, husky voice. "But…y'all are just kids."

I scoffed. "For your information Mr. Giant, we're not kids…we're men. Swag, mature, sexy men!"

"Jerry!" Milton nudged me. "Language. You know the last time you said dirty words like that, your mom made you wash your mouth with soap." I looked at the guard, and gave him a sheepish grin.

"Whatever you say boys. Just show me your dang tickets so you quit bothering me." The guard said peevishly.

"Alright. Eddie, show them the tickets." I said, nudging Eddie, playing on a manly smile to the guard, who still gave me that weirded-out expression.

"Wait…I thought you had the tickets." Eddie said, giving me an anxious glare. I widened my eyes to the size of dinner plates, staring at Eddie in utter anxiety.

"No, they were in your pockets. You know…the pockets in your jeans that you wear every single freaking day!"

"Nah, man I put it in my snack bag!" Eddie said unceasingly. "It must have fallen out or something!"

"What? So we came all this way for nothing!" Milton shrieked.

"Just check your pockets! Please tell me it's in there!" I said, with apprehension. All that excitement…for nothing? How _terrible _is this? The concert of our hopes and dreams, the meet-and-greet we were planning to attend later on, that feeling when you get to concerts…all shattered, and faded into dust into a matter of seconds.

Eddie started digging into his pockets hastily, and all he did was give a shake of his head. My jaw dropped wide open, my eyebrows furrowing, as I placed a hard hand on my forehead.

"Sorry guys. Get out!" The guard yelled, tossing all three of us out of the line. We all had perplexed looks on our faces, mine looking more infuriated. I shot Eddie a deadly glare.

"_Oh mi Dios esto es terrible! Te odio, te tonto estúpido! Voy a matarte__!" _I struck my finger angrily at Eddie's face, grabbing his collar, rendering the angriest look I could possibly muster, and speaking in Spanish oh so rapidly.

"Milton? Translation?" Eddie shrieked.

"Oh, he said 'Oh my god this is terrible! I hate you, you stupid fool! I'm going to kill you!' So here's all I gotta say to you, dude: _correr._"

Oh, I knew what that meant.

I knew what that meant very well.

I saw Eddie, and his blank, confused expression remained intact as it clumsily bored into Milton's eyes.

"You idiot!" Milton shrieked, his eyes wide. "It means—"

I finished the sentence for him proudly.

"RUN!"

* * *

><p><span>KIM<span>

The city breeze tenderly scurried across my face, as the sun slowly started disappearing from the beautiful light blue sky. From all the subways we took, I was glad to see the picturesque oranges, pinks, purples and blues emerge in the sky. People calmly strolled along the streets, with tranquil smiles sketched on their faces. Right now, we were away from Central Park, but I could still picture the happy kids playing to their hearts desires, laughing and having fun. I could faintly see golden lanterns, and distorted cheers coming from the far end of the block.

We were here.

In the famous Chinatown.

I heard Rudy and Eric arguing about how Eric should be getting Rudy's good side and waiting for him to pose or something like that. I tuned out of that conversation a long time ago. My pink Converse sneakers lightly shuffled along the sidewalk, as I straightened my V-Neck, just in case Eric was planning to surprise scare me with his camera.

Suddenly I felt someone abruptly tap me on the shoulder.

I rapidly turned around, ready to strike a pose for the camera if needed, but instead I see Jack, his face looking flushed with guilt, and disappointment. Honestly, I haven't spoken to him since what happened during Lunch. Why was it that hard for him to call me pretty? Was I really that ugly? Am I overthinking this? I would've called him "cute" for the camera if I had to.

Or would I?

"Kim, I'm sorry, for…you know…before." He said, rubbing his hand across the back of neck shyly.

"It's okay…you think I'm ugly…why should I care?" I said, continuing to walk, not making eye contact with him. Sarcasm dripped on every word, making me wonder even more if he was _ever _going to call me pretty.

"No I don't!" He said, stopping me with his arm. This time, I did look into his eyes, staring at him. "In fact, I think you're the opposite."

I couldn't help but feel a little more content, but I still didn't say anything. I kept walking.

"Can we just put this whole thing behind us? I don't want a reality show come in the way of our friendship." I stopped walking, staring at him, and when looking into his eyes, they seemed to be filled with regret, and…amnesty.

I smiled at him. "Sure." I said. "Sorry for getting so worked up about it." We both laughed, as Chinatown started to creep closer towards us. He gave me a relieved smile, and did something that was a bit unanticipated.

He put his arm around me for a second, like an embrace, and this time it wasn't for a camera, or for "fans" that ship us "star-crossed lovers".

It was natural.

It was warm.

And it made me smile.

"So, all we need to do is find a shop with wings, right?" Jack asked. I nodded.

"Yes, but what _is _a shop with wings? It's obviously not a shop that flies, because that would be—"

"Wait!" Jack said, suddenly with an imaginary light bulb popping on top of his head. I gave him a confused look.

"Are you seriously thinking that there is a shop, in Chinatown, that _flies_? Get a grip, dude." I said, shaking my head.

"No, not like that! I mean, it could fly with business! Maybe it's one of the top stores in the Chinatown!"

"Or they could be inferring a pet store!" I said, my face suddenly brightening up along with his.

"Usually when things have wings, they have halos…and when they halos they're angels…and if they're angels, then they're—"

"Dead?" I finished for him, laughing.

"Well, when you put it like that…" He says, smirking. I felt Rudy's hand land on my shoulder, and Jack's.

"Hey guys, look! We're here! In Chinatown!" Rudy said, happily. I cast a glance towards Eric, and his eyes were pressed on the lens as he slowly caught the view of Chinatown into his lens. I stared in awe at the fascination of the place. Lamps were dispersed all around, as cultural Asian music played in the background. Dragon costumes were slowly slithering along the ground, as dancers soared in the air, ever so swiftly. Shops were lined up in every corner, as merchants started selling products. There was hot food that was steaming and sizzling, and it smelled heavenly. A cool breeze rushed through me, as I walked to the congested crowd filled with people from all over the world. I felt astonished as I walked through the crowd, unable to believe the mind-blowing sight that was before my eyes.

Was this real?

Was I dreaming?

I felt Jack tap my shoulder.

"Kim, come on we need to find the store with the clue in it."

Nope…this was real alright.

"Alright, so where is the next clue again?" Rudy asked conformingly.

"In a store with wings…do you have any idea what a store with wings might be?" I asked. He shook his head desolately.

"Sorry, unless it's a store that flies." Rudy said. Eric laughed.

"Oh, in England we actually had some stores that did fly. Well that's what my Mum told me. That's why she wouldn't allow me to enter toy shops. I was frightened of those horrid places anyway." Eric said. I gave him a confused look.

"Well, if it doesn't fly with business, then the store's obviously got to be a store no one goes to." Jack said.

"Yeah but…" Then my voice trailed off.

_No one goes to. _

_Out of business. _

_Abandoned. _

_Dead. _

_Heaven. _

_Angels. _

_WINGS. _

"Jack…you're a genius!" I said, jumping up and down giddily in excitement.

"Pssh…I know," He said adjusting his collar to his shirt with vanity. I rolled my eyes.

"No, think about it!" I yelled cheerfully. "If no one goes to a store, then it's out of business. And if it's out of business then—"

"Abandoned! Of course!" Jack said, with a huge grin spread across his face. "So, we just need to find some Abandoned Warehouse, right?"

"Right…and it looks like a lot of shops were abandoned here," I said, looking at some shops, that looked dark and gloomy like a haunted house.

"Alright, so I'm assuming we're all going together?" Eric said. "This is the most important scene I need from you guys."

I groaned in frustration. This dude really knew how to ruin a triumphant, exhilarating moment.

"Unfortunately," Jack mumbled.

"Come on guys, we need to move fast…some of the groups might have already found the place." Rudy said. We walked deeper inside the crowd of Chinatown, darting our eyes from side to side, seeing any stores that seemed abandoned. The sun was slowly setting, and the night shades deliberately arose in the sky, making the environment seem a bit eerie. Must be my subconscious, unnerving mind on overdrive.

"Hey, look!" Jack said, tapping my arm for attention. "Over there! That shop looks really…neglected." His finger was pointed to a spine-chilling store, with dark colored bricks shaping the shop, and demented, tilted doors senselessly covering the entrance. I could vaguely see windows that were shattered, with bright-logoed shops just right next to it. People mindlessly walked past it, chitchatting without a care in the world. Whereas, when _I _stared at it, it's like that's the only building in all of Chinatown. It looked freaky. It looked rotten.

It looked like my doom was waiting in there.

I straightened my posture confidently, disclosing that I wasn't scared and looked at Rudy and Eric. "Jack and I will go first, to see if anyone's there. We'll text you to tell you to come. Sound like a plan?"

"But, what if something happens to you guys?" Rudy said. "Your parents entrusted me to be fully responsible of you guys. I'm under a lot of pressure here, okay?" He said, seeming a bit stressed. I rubbed his arm comfortingly.

"Nothing's going to happen to us, okay? Come on, it's Jack and me that's doing this…what could possibly go wrong?" Although, I regret even proposing that question.

That rhetorical question always leads to trouble.

Battling the tough crowd of people, we finally made it to the "Haunted" store, where it seemed to be a lot quieter, much to my relief, and anxiousness. Jack and I kicked the door open, using a karate kick of course, and reluctantly stepped inside. The room was obscure and dark, causing me to narrow my eyes, at an attempt to see what was in here. All I could make out was some boxes lying on the ground…but not even my 20/20 vision could decipher much of this place. Jack started walking ahead of me, darting his eyes from left to right.

"Do you see anything?" I called.

"No," He said, kicking a box. "This place is seriously giving me the creeps. Hey look, there's a door over there!"

I could hazily make out the door at the far end of the room, with the vibrant red color of the door suddenly creating a dim effect on the room. I could interpret yellow spheres attached onto the double doors, with golden handles peeking out.

"Maybe the next clue is hidden in there somewhere. Do you want to go in there Kim, or keep looking here just in case?"

There was no response.

"Kim?" Jack repeated, his eyes still fixed on the surroundings of the gloomy room, with no light in it.

_Jack, please turn around. _

I still didn't respond.

Scratch that.

I _couldn't _respond.

Why you ask?

A hand was tightly clasped over my mouth, an arm tightly wrapped over my waist, so I couldn't defend myself…and a knife was closely positioned, ready to slit my throat.

_JACK, TURN THE HELL AROUND! _

I started inhaling deeply for breath, as I was a mouth breather, and sweat rapidly beaded down my temples. My eyes were so wide, they could've fallen out of my head, and I had this frantic look on my face that was possibly even worse than…._that night._ I think I had a tear or two trickle down my face as well.I tried to turn my head around to see if I could identify who was actually maniacal enough to _kill me, _but I couldn't…not with a knife centimeters away from my neck.

"Kim, why aren't you…?" He said, finally twisting his body to face me, his leisured expression turning into a wide-eyed, frantic, apprehensive expression.

"Drake," Jack growled, clenching his fists angrily.

_So that's who it was. _

"Now, now no need to be surprised. This is just payback that's all." I heard a sly, sinister voice, breathe next to me with a foul stench that _needed _mouth-washing desperately.

"Get….away…from…her." Jack said, about to take a step closer.

"Ah, ah, ah….one more step and the girl gets it." Drake said, the knife vibrating closely to my skin. More tears sprinkled out of my eyes. _I don't want to die…please don't kill me, please don't kill me. _

Hey, what am I doing?

I'm Kim Crawford.

I'm not going to give this guy the satisfaction…no matter how chained up I am.

I lifted my legs, and struck my feet out, aiming for his knee. As my shoe collided with his knee bone, I heard a snap, and the knife that was held oh so closely to my neck fell to the ground, and the rigid grip that was sealed around my mouth and waist loosened, as I heard him wince, clutching his knee in pain. I jerked my body around, now coming in full contact with that senselessly perfect blonde hair of his, and that well-developed muscular build. I aimed a sideways kick to his hip, and took his arm firmly, flinging his entire body over, like it was some sort of limp dummy. He fell in the opposite direction, not moving. His face was grimaced in pain, moaning and groaning.

"_No one_ messes with me," I said coldly. He continued lying lifelessly on the ground. Still shaky and traumatized, I approached Jack, and he gripped my arms with shoulders, squeezing them with reassurance and relief.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked, with a sigh of relief.

I let out a huge, shaky breath. "Yeah, I'm fine." My voice still trembling with fear and shock. He pulled me into a quick hug.

"Oh I was so worried," He said.

I pulled away, giving him a smile. "I seriously thought I was done for."

"Not on my watch." He said, smiling. We ended up staring into each other's eyes, his chocolate brown eyes melting in mine. I officially grew petulant over our "staring-contests" but when looking into them…it allows me to perceive a new a whole new…side of Jack. It just forces me to…

I tore my eyes away from his and took a step back.

"Let's just get the next clue, before he regains consciousness again." He nodded, and we both stepped over Drake's body, slowly dragging both of the vibrant red doors open, revealing a lit-up room that made just want to stop and stare around the perimeter of the room in astonishment.

Chinese hieroglyphs that were etched on papyrus hung on the walls, with other Chinese drawings hung up. It almost seemed like a story was being told within the ancient papyrus. I saw plastic swords displayed on tables, as well and a wooden bookshelf on the side with books filling up ever centimeter of the bookshelf. However, as intriguing as it looked, I had no time to indulge into the Mysteries of China. I looked at the bookshelf, tilting my head to the side, wondering if maybe, just maybe…

"Jack." I blurted. "The clue has to be hidden somewhere in the books."

"But the books look so dull and bland how it could it—"

I gave him a knowing, "exactly" look.

"Good point."

Jack and I ran towards the bookshelf, newly noticing quite a few books were taken out of the shelf, leaving quite big gaps in the middle of the shelves. Jack and I grabbed every book we could scanning to see if maybe the clue was hidden somewhere in there.

"How are all these books taken out?" I asked.

"The other groups must have already been in here." Jack said, disappointedly. "Here, just look through every single book, cover to cover. It must have been well hidden." I continued scanning the books, which had insipid covers that looked worse than school textbooks. We scanned almost all of the books that lay on the shelves, but to no avail. The only interesting entity I found from looking through all 24 of those books were that some of the books had facts on the _Miao Dao…_perplexing facts.

"There's only two more books on that shelf." Jack said, pointing to the two mediocre books that lifelessly stood on the top shelf. "What if the clue's not in there? What if…we're too late?"

I sighed, and slowly shrugged my shoulders. "Then I guess we'll never have the chance of actually beating these losers."

He chuckled. "Well, for what it's worth…I think this was a fun experience. You know…finding clues together, and all."

I smiled. "Yeah." I exhaled deeply. "Well, let's not lose all hope…there is a good chance of the clue being hidden in those books." We grabbed the books from the shelf, with one sitting on Jack's hands, and one resting on mine.

Mine was the one….

That looked the vaguest.

The cover was painted in a dreary, muted pine green. However what intrigued me was the word that was engraved in big letters on the cover, in silver. A Chinese word, the same that I saw at the article Jack showed me the other day at the library. A word that is now starting to trail after me.

"**危****机"**

_What does this mean? _

_What is this saying? _

_Wait…_

_If this same word was found in an article about The Miao Dao, then…_

I flipped the pages of the book open, quickly skimming through anything I could find. However, to my dismay, everything was written in Chinese. Just as I was about to give up, I found a manila envelope taped to one of the back pages…

And on the envelope, the words "The Hunt: Clue #2" was scribbled on it in messy ink.

"JACK!" I screamed, causing him to literally jump from his focus. I bounced in happiness, dancing my heart out, with a huge grin spread upon my face.

"What is it?" He asked, looking at me like I'm some mutant alien doing the 'Cat Daddy'. "Please…don't ever do that again."

I attempted at giving him an icy glare, but due to my contentment at the moment, it didn't work. "Maybe _this—_" I held out the mini manila envelope. "will explain why I've been dancing like a freak."

His mouth grew ajar, as he stared at the manila envelope, with a thrilled look on his face. "YES!" We collided hands in victory, with a nice slap echoing as we high-fived eachother. "Nice work, Kim!" He took the manila envelope from my hands, quickly tearing it open. My mouth was spread was so wide in content, I'm pretty sure it started to ache.

Suddenly, something caught my attention, so I tore my eyes away from Jack's triumphant, dreamy-eyed look (did I just say that?) and stared at something white that was on the far other end of the counter.

It looked like paper.

I tentatively edged closer to the counter, as I heard Jack murmur in excitement. The closer I skirted to it, the more I could make out the facts of the white "thing" that caught my attention.

Fact 1—

Yes, it was indeed a piece of paper, folded in half.

And Fact 2—

It had my name on it.

As I now was at a reachable distance to the counter, with mini Chinese drawings spread out on it, I could now see the slightly crumpled paper oh so clearly, folded in half with the words "To Kim (If you ever happen to find this)" written sloppily on the cover. I took it from the counter, gingerly holding it my hands, with a number of questions fuming inside of me.

_Who would write me a letter? And why would they put it here?_

"Jack look at—"

But a lump instantly formed as I saw Jack's back turned on me with his glistening eyes still concentrated on the paper…

Oh no.

You misunderstood me.

I wasn't distressed to see _Jack_, and his mind at full speed as he was trying to decipher the clue.

I was devastated seeing the person _behind _Jack.

Fact Three—

That person was Drake.

A form of a bat clinged to Drake's hand, as he had a maniacal look on his face, creeping slowly towards a rigorous Jack. The bat was raised above his head, his hand ready to pound Jack with it.

_NO. _

"JACK, GET OUT OF THE WAY!" I screeched. I ran towards Drake, as both their heads flung around. I rapidly lifted my leg, striking Drake in the stomach with my shoe, and he tumbled down, however with the bat still on his hand.

"Give the clue, Jack." He said, making his way back to his feet, with a bit of a struggle. "_Now." _

"Over my dead body." Jack growled horrendously.

Drake held the bat in the air for emphasis. "I think I can make that happen." Jack and I backed away from Drake, finding ourselves edging to a corner.

Dead end.

"Now, which one first…the So-Called-Tough-Blonde, or the I'm-Too-Great-For-Anyone-Brunette?"

"Why don't you try me?" I heard a low but naïve voice from the back, that didn't belong to Jack or me. "the Short-But-Still-A-Black-Belt-Dirty-Blonde-MAN?" And with that, I heard a loud _THUD _echo on Drake's head, with a still look on his face, he toppled to the ground, this time with the bat escaping from his heinous, beefy hands. As Drake's body fell to the ground, it revealed a man who resembled the _exact _same name.

"Rudy!" We both squealed. We quickly approached him, and he hugged us both.

"Oh, are we glad you found the clue!" Rudy said, with a relief stuck on his face.

_Huh? _

"We?" I asked.

I heard repetitive clapping coming from the brightly-colored doors. I turned around to see Eric clapping his hands together, like he was beckoning for an encore.

"Bravo! Bravo!" Eric said cheerfully. "Rudy and I watched the _entire _thing. The Drake threat, the endearing embrace between you two—"

Jack and I exchanged shy looks, both of our cheeks flushed with a hard red.

"—The book searching, the big discovery, and that last attack…everything! We caught the whole thing on tape, rather than you acting it out, hiding in that other room the entire time! And it was magnificent! This is surely to bring many viewers, this is damn good stuff!"

"Wait, wait, wait," I said, eyeing Eric coldly. "If Drake got up, then why didn't you guys stop him?"

Eric rubbed the back of his neck guiltily. "And uh, here's the not-so-endearing part—" He chucked whimsically here. "—We woke him up, and gave him the bat to uh…tense the scene up a bit."

Jack and I widened our eyes. "You did _WHAT?_" We bawled.

"Well, on the bright side, it did come out good! And I did step in to save you both!" Rudy said, offering a smile. I still gave him a cold-stone glare.

"It was Eric's idea!" Rudy cried, his voice cracking.

I clenched my teeth and fists. "THAT'S IT!" I screamed, charging for Eric, ready to finally beat the fudge out of that idiot. Jack and Rudy went for my waist, holding me back hastily. Fortunately, thanks to the good mood I was in, because of the fact that we found the second clue, I decided to hold back, _not _killing that British Jerk.

But it will happen.

I can…and I _will _hurt Eric the Cameraman one day.

"We should probably fetch Milton, Jerry and Eddie, shan't we? After all, it is getting rather late…they should be done with their concert by now." Eric said.

"Wait, let's just check out the clue first…I want to read this." Rudy said. "And you should probably get it on video. Remember…left is my good side."

With a nod, Eric switched his camera on, and Jack took the index card out of the envelope, holding the clue in such a way that we could all read it as we huddled around it…including the camera.

Jack read aloud:

"_You wouldn't expect to find a clue about a sword—or China— in a place like this,_

_With hot rocks exploding, and spirits gone amiss_

_In this atoll, you could be enlightened with fun_

_But beware of the curses you could endure under its hot sun._

_You will find me in a place where the sun does not shine_

_Where the spirits shall moan, and where you shall whine."_

And just when I thought these clues could get easier…

"Anybody? Anything?" Jack asked. We shook our heads unanimously.

"It's okay guys, let's just get Milton, Jerry and Eddie, go back to our hotel, and see if we can figure out this clue. Hope you guys packed well, because we won't be coming home for a while."

"But, we can't stay here forever, can we? Bobby says the checkout deadline for all the groups is Monday afternoon." I said, recollecting what Bobby said.

"And don't forget, we have the next meeting to attend tomorrow night at The Wong Fu Diner again." Eric said, matter-of-factly.

"Rudy's right we can work everything when we get back to the hotel. Right now…we have Three Idiots to catch." Jack said. We chuckled and walked out of the not-so-peculiar abandoned shop, with the book and letter still shivering in my hands, just begging me to read it.

But I know I couldn't.

Not now, anyway.

_Just one look, Kim…just one…_

"Kim?" I heard Jack's soothing voice. I tore my eyes away from the book—more importantly the note—and stared into Jack's calm, melting eyes. I couldn't help but crack just a tiny smile.

"Hmm?"

"You okay? Why'd you bring the book? And what's the letter? And why does it have your name on it?" Now his calm eyes, grew distorted, as his eyes bugged out while observing the items stored within my hands.

"Nothing, relax dude," I said, patting him to calm him down. "It's nothing. Really."

He shook his head, still putting on a smile, as I walked out of the streets of Chinatown with the wind blowing through my blonde hair. He gingerly took my hand in his, and I couldn't help but squeeze it tight. "You're a real girl of mystery, aren't you?"

I laughed, giving his hand a squeeze once more, as we strolled into the New York City night, with the moon glistening in the sky, along with the other street lights. You'd expect to hear many, _many _noises coming from all around you.

But if you have Jack holding hands with you, all you can hear is indistinct whispering.

_You have no idea, Jack. _

_You have no idea. _

* * *

><p><strong>AN- WOW! So, let's have a bit of a recap, shall we? Because, A LOT of things happened in this very long chapter (which again I apologize for)! So one, this reality show. Will it be bringing them together, or tearing them apart? And NO CONCERT? Poor Jerry and Eddie…you'll see in the next chapter how they react to it. And where Jack, Kim, Rudy and Eric happen to find them in the next chapter. ;) And I'm pretty sure at least one of you ask about Grace and/or Travis. You'll see an appearance from both of them in the next chapter. It was just too much in this one to fit them in. And speaking of recurring characters, what is with Drake? Is he like some psychomaniac or something? What is his secret? Well, at least we know that he's out of The Hunt right? Or…is he? See for this part, I didn't want it to be so cliché with Jack saving Kim all the time, so she saved herself…in fact she's the one that attempts at saving Jack, so yeah I really wanted to get rid of that cliché. And YES! They found the clue! The only question is…where is the clue? Will they be able to find out before they have to check out on Monday? More importantly…WHO is the person that wrote that note to Kim? **

**So. Many. Questions! **

**All will be answered soon…**

**REVIEW! REVIEW! Pretty please with sugar on top! And if you haven't reviewed for Chapter 3, please do since that was the special "guest-star" appearance by TheWritingGames. She'd really like to see your feedback! Speaking of reviews, let's see if we can try a 50 REVIEWS CHALLENGE until Chapter 5? Please? If I get 50 reviews, then I will ask YOU GUYS to select the place for where the 3****rd**** clue should be! If we get to 50, I'll give you options on places, and you take a voting! Sound good?**

**Hehe! Chapter 5 will be here shortly! So I'll see you guys later! Oh, and just out of curiosity…who's EXCITED for Kickin' It in China! I KNOW I AM! Hopefully there will be some Kick moments! **

**Review pweez! ;)**

**Love always, **

**~Taylor :) 3**


	5. A Note to Remember

**A/N-Heyy Fanfictioners! I'm back with Chapter 5 of The Hunt! First, I'd like to say THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR REVIEWING! We got to 52 reviews! OMG! That's amazing! Thank you guys so much, I didn't think this would actually happen! I love you guys, you're just plain awesome! And as promised, I will let YOU guys pick the place for the fourth clue to be hidden in. Once I come up with some options, I'll have a poll set out on my profile, and in the next chapter! If you guys have any suggestions before I set out options, just PM me or put it in your next review! Once again thank you all so much for the reviews! I loved them all, it just made me smile! And for that, I tried to update fast for you guys! Again, sorry it's so long! I didn't expect it to be this long!**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

KIM

You wouldn't _believe _where I'm standing at the moment.

I'm face-to-face with a grumpy looking Jerry, Milton, and Eddie. I could see the utter hatred in their eyes, as they glared at eachother icily. Milton looked like he was about to burst into tears, while Jerry and Eddie looked like they were about to kill eachother. The tension in this room was so high; it almost made me forget the triumphant victory from finally finding the second clue. Guards were standing in the front, beside them. I cast a glance towards Milton, whose looking the most apprehensive among the three. I honestly wouldn't blame him, considering the place we were in.

Oh…I haven't mentioned where we were, haven't I?

Well, I knew I'd be seeing Jerry in this place someday.

Right outside of the New York County Police Department.

There was awkward silence in the room, as we exchanged confounded looks with one another . We were standing in a room with grey cemented walls, bland looking tables and benches, and scary-looking police officers posted at every corner. The bitter marble floor shuffled across our bare feet, since we were asked to take our shoes off for inspection, much to my resent. Milton, Jerry and Eddie sat on the bench with three guards standing behind each of them, ready to catch them in case they were planning on escape, which I'm positive they were. Honestly, I didn't know how much of this muteness I'll be able to abide. So, I decided to break yet another board…The Board of Silence.

"What are you guys doing here?" I screamed in their faces. They backed away, with shame flooding in their skins. "In JAIL?"

"For your information Kim, we didn't get arrested! We were in a holding cell! Only for two hours!" Jerry said, trying to justify his position. I gave him a stiff glare.

"The worst two hours of my _life,_" Milton shuddered.

"Answer the question, you _freaks_!" I screamed once more. "Why were you guys caught by police, and sitting in a holding cell?"

"Since when did you become our mother?" Eddie asked. I was about to charge for them and pound them, when I felt Jack's arms strappingly pull me away from them.

_Aw Jack, can't I just punch them? Only until their nose bleeds! Not going too far! _

"Talk Jerry…what did you guys do?" Jack demanded his voice dead serious.

Jerry sighed uneasily, with a trembling breath. "Okay, so we were in line to see Maroon 5 perform, and I thought this was the best day of my life, because I would get to meet the band of my dreams. Then _this—_" He glared at Eddie, "—lost our tickets, so then that massive, fat security guard kicked us out of the line. Ugh…them security guards get REAL, yo!" He said shuddering.

"That doesn't explain why we're in THE POLICE DEPARTMENT!" Rudy screamed in his ear.

"Okay, okay," Jerry said. "So, I decided to be a good student, and follow your oh so great karate skills Rudy, and I attempted at beating the guard up. He was about to pound me, when Eddie knocked him out cold. So, we snuck into the concert, and we managed to see a small part of it. And we saw them! We saw Adam Levine, and he looked swaggerific as always! But then, the security guards caught us, so that's how we got in here."

"You. Did. WHAT?" Eric, Rudy, Jack and I screamed in unison at the three.

"I'm innocent! I'm so sorry!" Milton's taking deep breaths, hyperventilating and clutching his heart, like he's having a heart attack. "They didn't listen to me! They just knocked the man out cold, and ran like crazy psychopaths! I was supposed to be the authority figure! The brain! I've failed you all!" He buried his face in his hands, and I awkwardly pat him on the shoulder.

"There, there," I said, awkwardly. "You see what you're making me do!" I hissed at Jerry and Eddie angrily. They backed away, putting their hands up in shame.

"We're sorry, okay we just wanted to see Maroon 5. But we came here for a more important reason. For the Hunt." Eddie said.

"Yeah, we took advantage of the opportunity. So, we're sorry." Jerry added. I stared at them, with my mouth agape.

_Did Jerry and Eddie just apologize for their actions? _

"As long as you know the wrong things you did." Rudy said. He sighed exasperatedly, giving them a smile. "We're just glad you three are safe. Luckily, this isn't going on your record so—"

"YES!" Milton said, his hands flying up in the air, like gummy worms. "THANK YOU! THANK YOU!" He hugged the three guards that were standing behind the bench, with a pacified smile on his face, causing the guards to stare at him in utter disgust and perplexity. I shook my head, giving a little chuckle. Jerry and Eddie got up, with a more eased look on their face.

"So, how was the concert?" Jack asked curiously.

"Well, we were only there for 3 minutes. But it was RAD, yo! They were amazing, and the crowd went wild, and…OH, it was the Ultimate Concert Experience!" Jerry said merrily.

"Did you happen to get any of it on video?" Eric chimed in.

"ERIC!" We all screamed irritably in unison. He backed away, affronted.

"Here, let's just go back to the hotel. We have a surprise for you all." Jack said, patting Jerry on the back. Giddy looks appeared on their faces, with Milton's face still looking grateful. With the consent from the police officer, we all walked out of the police station, admiring the nighttime of New York. The city lights glistened all over the place, with the electric billboards illuminating the streets, and shops still lit up cheerfully. People and Cabs were still strolling casually along the road. The fact that it was nighttime didn't seem to affect them one bit. The sky was pitch-black, with stars shimmering oh so brightly. It made me want to stare at it all night. Although I was still a little angry at Jerry and Eddie, I couldn't help but laugh along with them, as the rest of the gang pulled jokes, and goofed around. I even laughed with Eric, who seemed like he was automatically family to us for a second. I cast a look towards Jack and he looked down at me and smiled. The City lights helped me to see his chocolate brown eyes and that charming smile of his. It sends that that electrifying sensation vibrating all over my body, which seems to happen a lot more frequently now.

That was when I heard the note calling my name, beckoning me to open it.

_Just one look, Kim. _

_Open me to find out the truth. _

* * *

><p>"Ah, hotel, sweet hotel!" Rudy bellowed as we all walked into our peaceful hotel room once again. A Flat-Screen TV hung on the wall, with two beds planted on both sides of the room. The walls were painted in a glistening white, with artwork posted on the wall. I will admit, it definitely accumulated that "5-Star Hotel" factor. I could see Milton, Jerry, Eddie and Rudy's luggage scattered on one corner of the room. Luckily, the bed was made, so this room didn't look like a <em>complete <em>disaster. Eric was sleeping in his own hotel room, so luckily I wouldn't have to worry about him videotaping me while I was sleeping. There was a door on the side, to where my bed was. Thankfully, I got the whole bed to myself, since there was only one bed in that room.

Wait…but what about—

"Okay, so tell us what the surprise is! Tell us, tell us, tell us!" Milton squealed, jumping up and down like a little boy.

"Calm down, before you wet yourself!" I said, pushing his shoulders down, summoning him to stop acting so hyper. He brought his shoes back to ground, slightly reddened. I smirked.

Jack brought the envelope out his bag, and showed it to all three of the boys. "This," He said cheerily. "Is the second clue."

"You found it?" They all yelled excitedly in unison.

"Yes, we did," I said, smiling, taking the clue out of the envelope. I recited the clue to Milton, Jerry and Eddie as they stared at the little white card in interest.

"_You wouldn't expect to find a clue about a sword—or China— in a place like this,_

_With hot rocks exploding, and spirits gone amiss_

_In this atoll, you could be enlightened with fun_

_But beware of the curses you could endure under its hot sun._

_You will find me in a place where the sun does not shine_

_Where the spirits shall moan, and where you shall whine."_

"What's an atoll?" Jerry asked, that being his only reaction. I shook my head, and shrugged my shoulders.

"An atoll is a piece of land." Milton answered quickly. "which is completely ambiguous, as a piece of land could be anything in this entire world!"

"Wait…where do spirits moan?" Eddie asked in confusion. "And why would we whine? And what do they mean by hot rocks exploding? And where does—"

"Hey!" I interrupted. "Your minds are obviously on the hyper switch ever since you got out of that concert. Why don't we all just get some sleep, and we'll figure this out in the morning. It's getting late. Sound like a plan?"

With a few yawns thrown in here and there, they all nodded and Jerry and Eddie crashed on bed, while Milton and Rudy crashed on the other. I stared at Jack, as he gawkily stood there with a bemused look on my face.

"Wait Jack, if these beds are all taken, then where are you going to—"

"Oh, Kim I almost forgot!" Rudy said, suddenly getting up. "Bobby only agreed to a two-in-one room, so I was wondering if…you know, Jack could…"

_Excuse me? _

"Uh…" I stared at Jack awkwardly, my face instantly heating up. Jack has to _sleep _in the same _bed _with me?

_Ew. _

I robustly shook that thought away from my head. We're just friends. There's absolutely _nothing _wrong in sharing a bed. "Uh…yeah, sure, I mean…where else is he going to sleep?" I said, my voice so soft it came out as breathing.

"You two have fun." Jerry teased. I shot him an icy stare, and walked into the other room, with Jack trailing right behind me. I spun around and stopped him.

"Um…do you mind? I'd like to sleep in PJ's." I said, gesturing at the jeans and V-Neck I was currently sporting right now.

"Yeah…yeah, sure," He said quickly backing away from the door, rubbing his neck and his face turning red. I pressed my lips together, in utter humiliation, and shut the door behind me. I let out a deep, relieved sigh.

_Where else is he going to sleep? I'd like to sleep in PJ's? What's wrong with you Kim?_

I stared at my room, with unfortunately one large bed placed in the middle of the room. A similar flat screen TV was hung up at the opposite wall, and I quickly changed into a tank-top and pants. I was about to throw my jeans and shirt in the romper, when I forgot about the note that was still quivering rapidly in my pockets, calling my name constantly. I dug my jeans pocket, taking the note that was folded in quadrants, with the words "_To Kim (If you ever happen to find this)_" still messily scribbled on the lined paper.

_Jack can wait outside. _

I quickly unfolded the paper, looking to find a long-written letter that was neatly imprinted. I couldn't believe my eyes for a second. That I actually found a letter like this, in a place like that, addressed to a person like me. I read the letter, the words resonating in my mind:

_Dear Kim—_

_I'm so sorry for everything's that happened. This wasn't exactly how I envisioned this…writing to you, rather than telling you face-to-face. I wish I could tell you why I can't talk to you anymore, and why I left all of a sudden…but I can't. I'm not allowed. I'm not allowed to tell you why I've moved, why I've lied to you, and why you saw me that day, in that blue dress. I know…we've known eachother forever…but secrets are secrets, Kim. I'm hoping you understand that. And please understand that it's not my doing. I didn't want any of this to happen. I didn't want to become enemies. I didn't want to be competing against to you. I didn't want to be in this stupid mayhem traveling around the world, just so Bobby can get that stupid sword. And more importantly, I didn't want to lose you. But…that's life right? It's filled with unexpected surprises that takes us on a whirlwind of adventure. Sometimes it can be fun…and sometimes it can haunt us for the rest of our life. I hope, even after all of this, we can still be friends. It pains me to say, that we're probably never going to best friends again, after all that's happened…but that doesn't mean we can't be broken up forever. I know you, Kim. And I love you like a sister. I hope you forgive me…and I hope when we meet on Sunday, you'll talk to me at the meeting. That's how I'll know you've read this. That's how I'll know you've forgiven me. And that's how I'll know, that there is slight hope to start over. _

_Love,_

—_Grace xoxo_

I read the note over and over again, with a different viewpoint every time I've read it. The words that were engraved all stuck in my mind, as if I've just memorized this letter by reading it once. It was still hard to believe that Grace actually wrote me this. How I dearly wished she could explain me everything. Unfortunately, after reading this letter, rather than getting answers, all that came up were more questions. Tears swelled up in my eyes, as the memories of Grace reminisced in my head, how she was one of my only girl-friends, how close of a bond we had with eachother since the day we were born. All shattered just from a filthy competition. I could see the tears from my eyes dripping onto the paper, onto Grace's name.

That's when I heard a loud knock from the door.

"Kim…are you…are you done?" Jack asked from the other side. I didn't answer. As quickly as I could, I tried to see where I could hide the note, if there were any pockets in my pajamas. Much to my dismay, there weren't. I ran to the bed, about to hide it under the pillow, when I saw the doorknob twist, revealing a confused, pajama wearing, Jack. As soon as he saw the note in my hands, he seemed a bit taken aback.

"Kim, what is that paper?" Jack asked, walking closer towards me. I held it behind my back, unable to think of any excuse.

"What paper? What note? Pfft, I have no idea what you're—"

"I didn't ask about a note." He challenged. My shoulders slumped, and he walked a bit closer to me. "Kim…have you been crying?"

"No!" I yelled defensively. But after the sniffing, he could tell that I was lying.

"Show me the paper." He demanded, holding his hand out.

"No," I stated, trying to wipe the tears from my eyes. But it was no use. They kept pouring. I no longer had control of it.

"Oh, alright." Jack said. "Guess I'll have to do it myself."

"Jack Anderson, don't you dare—"

He didn't listen. He picked me up, dangling me over his shoulders, and snatching the note away from my hand. I screamed, as I _hated _being carried, but unfortunately my high-pitch girly shrieks were no match for his strength to carry me. And he even managed to snatch the note that was practically glued to my hands. Once I no longer felt the note in my hands, he put me down, laughing a bit. However, I was not laughing. All I did was show him a nasty frown.

"You…little…weasel." I said coldly.

He laughed. "Guilty as charged. But I'm only reading this to find our why you're crying." I helplessly sat on the bed feeling my cheeks. They were almost burning-hot, and moist from all the weeping. I could still feel the tears raining down my eyes, as I sniffled every two seconds. My eyes started burning, as if a grey cloud rained on top of me. Shaky breaths exhaled out my mouth, my lips quivering.

What am I doing?

As I saw Jack skimming his eyes through the note, it made me accept the true, disturbing fact.

I, Kimberly Crawford, was crying. With actual tears. And with actual whimpering.

Jack sat down next to me, draping an arm over my shoulder. I brought my legs to the bed, burying my face in my knees so he wouldn't be able to see my cry. Frankly, I _hated _doing this. Curse Grace, and her emotional letter.

"Kim, I'm sorry," He said, rubbing my arm comfortingly. "Don't cry, it's going to be okay."

"No it's not," I said, my face still locked within my knees, causing it to come out muffled. "All because of this stupid Hunt, Grace and me are probably never going to be friends again. why couldn't Grace tell me? Why is she hiding this from me? I…I just can't take this anymore…it's all too much!" More tears harshly streamed down. Jack squeezed my arm comfortingly.

"Hey….look at me," He said. Reluctantly I rose my head up, now face-to-face with Jack, the proximity so close, I could feel his long, deep breaths blowing on me. His brown eyes were filled with affection, and concern.

And what were mine filled with?

Tears. Stupid, girly, tears.

Jack took his finger, gingerly wiping the tears away from my eyes. "If you and Grace are done for, it's fate. We can't change that. Maybe it's for the best…after all, why have a friend that's been backstabbing you this entire time?"

I took his question into consideration. I hated admitting that the girl I've known for my whole life, has been lying and keeping secrets from me, when I put my entire trust in her, telling her everything. But with Jack's question…he was right. Grace Miller has been backstabbing me this entire time.

"But, it's just so surreal to admit." I said, sniffling once more, cursing in my head.

"I know it is." He said. "But, the only way we can make things right, is if we win this thing. If she's not willing to throw the Hunt all away for you, then she's not a friend Kim. To her, this Hunt's more important. But if that were me…I'd throw all of this away in a minute, if it meant losing you."

Our faces were centimeters apart. Our heads were nearly touching eachothers, and our eyes were never leaving each other's gaze. My mind had suddenly enlightened, with Jack's "words of wisdom" stuck in my head.

"You would?" I replied.

"Absolutely." He said. "You're my friend. And for me…friends are important. So…" He held out a hand. "Still on for the Best Summer Ever?"

I smiled, taking his hand in my mine, and shaking it. "Try and stop me." We both ended up laughing, competing in our staring contests once more.

"Thanks for helping me feel better," I said, tearing my eyes away from his, and stepping back a little.

"No problem," He said, smiling.

"Now…the letter?" I said, holding my hand out. Rolling his eyes playfully he handed me the note, and I placed it under the pillow, where I would no longer have to remember about it. He went on the far other side of the bed, going under the covers, resting his head gently on the pillow. I slept on the other far end of the bed, a little hesitant…admittedly a little scared.

_This is Jack. I can trust him. _

"Night Kim," He said, with a yawn.

"Goodnight Jack," I said, turning off the light. Slowly, I drifted off to sleep, with a smile curved upon my face. Although I was grateful for Jack to cheer me up with the situation, I could hear it.

I heard the letter screaming, as it suffocated under the pillow.

* * *

><p><em>I walked cheerily along with Grace, Kelsey and Kathy into the movie theatre, where we were about to watch The Paranormal Battle, which was said to be a pretty scary movie. It was about a year ago, before I even knew Jack existed. At the time, I was a part of the Black Dragons, and that day was a memorable day. For I, Kimberly Crawford, just got my black belt. <em>

_Being the supportive girl-friends they were, they took me to see the movie, as a challenge to see if I could withstand a movie as "scary" as this. Of course, I was the tough girl, so here I am, sitting with the threesome, as the ominous movie starts to creepily play, with the first scene of the movie playing onto the screen. I was huddled against Grace, prepared to use eachother as shields in case a gruesome, petrifying scene were to pop up at any moment. As the movie eerily passed, all goes well…well, as well as a scary movie could go…_

_It was the other half of the movie where things grew out of hand. _

_A shriek. _

_That's how it all started. _

_As the movie was playing by someone screamed "HELP ME!" from the audience. "THIS MAN HAS A GUN!" _

_The movie abruptly stopped playing, the lights still off, and the theatre room erupted in chaos. We were unsure on what to do. I wanted to step in and help the lady who was being assaulted. People swarmed in all directions, with screams so loud, it brought stress to my ears. _

_I knew what I had to do. _

_I immediately charged at the direction of the shriek, ignoring the worried, terrorized screams from my friends, now making out a man that was dressed in all black, his face covered up in a hood. The gun was pointed directly at the women's forehead, and she bawled loudly. _

"_Please don't kill me!" She shrieked, the tears streaming from her eyes. "I'll do anything!" _

"_Hey," I called. "Leave her alone!" I dashed in the scene, trying to aim a punch. It was as if the man didn't hear me, as his head was still facing the woman's. _

_But when my fist was about to collide with his face, he caught it. _

_He held my clenched fist. _

_Tight. _

_I was unable to unleash from his rigid grasp, panicking inside and out. The man faced me, his hood still over his head. _

_This time, the gun was pointed at me. _

"_Say goodnight princess." I heard a low, immature voice. For a split second, I could see the face. _

_It was a boy. _

* * *

><p>I woke up from the horrifyingly vivid nightmare, screaming at the top of my lungs. I felt my face, with a layer of sweat covering it. For a second, my lungs lost all oxygen, so it was difficult to breath. I took, short loud breaths, and when looking around I realized I was still sitting on the hotel bed, looking around to see the peaceful, relaxing hotel room. My hyperventilating deprived, and oxygen refueled in my lungs.<p>

_Oh, It was just a dream. _

_A horrible, reminiscing dream. _

I saw Jack's head shoot up, and he stares at me with alarming eyes. "Kim? Are you okay? Was that you who screamed?"

I nodded shakily. "It was…a dream…about…"

"That night?" Jack asked. I faced him, stunned that he knew what my petrifying nightmare was about.

But I gave a nod.

Yes.

A _nightmare _excerpted from _that night. _

Who am I kidding?

That whole thing was a nightmare.

"It's okay," He said putting an arm around my shoulder. "You're fine, don't worry. Just go back to bed."

I took another deep, rickety breath and wiping a tear from my eye, I rested my head on the pillow, feared that the nightmare will replay in my head once again.

* * *

><p>"Ladies and Gentlemen, I welcome you all to the second meeting of The Hunt!" I heard Bobby Wasabi yell cheerfully, his voice booming throughout the Banquet Hall. The crowd roared, clapping hysterically. I can tell you that the San Jose Bobby Wasabi Dojo clapped along with them. Hysterically, I may add.<p>

Luckily, I packed up a few dresses, so I was dressed for the occasion. I wore a strapless, pink sundress while the guys wore short-sleeved dress shirts as 90 degrees burned outside of the AC controlled room. Unfortunately, when looking around _nobody _dressed "formally". They all wore shorts and skirts and tank tops, causing my blood to boil on the inside.

The visions from last night.

Oh, they were still there.

Jack wouldn't stop asking me if I was okay or not in the morning, before we left. Honestly, I was a mess. All this makeup, and out-of-place clothing…they're just a cover.

On the inside…

I wanted to curl up into a ball, and rock back and forth, feared that I finally remembered everything from _that night. _

Everything.

I shook my head, deciding to get my mind off of the topic. "Why are we always getting this wrong?" I asked. The guys shrugged.

"Hey, _you _were the one who made us wear these stupid outfits!" Jerry said in frustration.

"Now, if you're all standing in this very room then give yourselves a pat on the back, for you have successfully found the second clue! Now, allow me to give you some details. In that abandoned warehouse there were only 15 copies of the second clue. Which meant, that five groups got disqualified. Your cameramen have submitted the footage from yesterday, and we have compiled all of it, and we are broadcasting it tonight, once my crew's done with the editing. However, we do have a sneak peak for you all." More uplifting rumbles from the crowd echoed throughout the large banquet hall the Wong Fu Diner generously provided.

"This is the footage from last night, when we've interviewed the five dojos that were going home. I hope you all enjoy it!" Bobby yelled cheerfully. As the crowd yet again, applauded, Jack faced me and smiled.

"You're okay now, right?" Jack asked, once again. I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, Jack stop asking me," I said impatiently. He chuckled.

"Still not going to tell me what it's about?" He asked. I looked at him, and they were filled with curiosity…and a little hurt.

"I will…eventually," I said. He nodded.

"YES, we finally get to see that stupid Drake disqualified." Jerry said cheerfully knocking us out our little "moment". I smiled.

"Yes!" Eddie said. "Now, this is going to be piece of cake!" The lights dimmed and a large screen projector was slowly wheeled down, causing the excited talk of the crew to die down. I had to admit, and not be mean, but I was definitely looking forward to seeing Drake's shocked face as the camera shoves in his perfect little traumatized face, unable of what to say.

_I'VE NEVER FELT SO ALIVE! _

The images slowly emerged onto the screen revealing Bobby's face zoomed in, his face looking dead serious. There was a black background, making the scene look somewhat intense. We all eagerly watching the best "sneak peak" ever.

"Twenty dojos. Fifteen chances." Bobby said. "Saturday evening marked the night where fifteen of the dojos had successfully found the second clue, moving on in their quest for the _Miao Dao _sword. However, there were five dojos…that were slow pokes. So, now, they have to return home with no prizes! But we were kind enough to offer them these—" Bobby's face disappeared, revealing an image of…"—Hobo sacks. We have for you short interviews from the losing dojos. I wish them the best of luck." The scene immediately changed, revealing a disappointed group of kids, and a thwarted sensei. They seemed to be right outside of the Abandoned Warehouse, in the streets of Chinatown, with people casually walking by, not even glancing at the direction of the camera.

"Now, where you guys from?" The interviewee asked a tall, dark-haired boy, setting the microphone near his mouth. His lips quivered as if he was about to cry.

"Uh…we're from New Jersey." He said, sadly.

"And now unfortunately, you guys were too late, is there anything—"

"No, we weren't!" Another kid jumped in angrily. "We weren't too late! We had the clue, we found it ourselves! And then, we came back to our hotel, and Tyler—" He gestured to another boy who had a black eye. The crowd gasped with indistinct murmurs bursting out of the room.. "—Who had the clue, was beaten up and the clue was taken away from him. He doesn't even remember who took it, but…someone did. Is that even possible? Are you allowed to do that? Steal clues from another dojo?"

"We won't have it, we simply won't!" An elder guy exclaimed, who I assumed was the Sensei. Angered arguments exploded from the group, and I saw the microphone hastily moving from one person to another, not sure what to do. Jack and I exchanged worried looks.

"Insightful," Bobby's face reappeared in the screen. "They try to blame it on someone else just so they don't look stupid. Well…they're looking more stupid now," Bobby chuckled. The screen suddenly stopped and the projector. The people looked at eachother with confused distinct whispering.

"That's all you're getting!" Bobby said, laughing wheezily. "Now, help yourself to any food…my agent will be here shortly to just recap a bit on the rules. Good day to you all!" The audience clapped once more, this time a bit unconfidently, as they rushed to the buffet line, which was amazingly long.

"Did anything about that interview seem…peculiar to any of you?" I asked. They all nodded.

"That black eye seemed pretty convincing," Rudy said. "Hey, we're going to get some food, wanna come?"

"Just give me sec," I said. They nodded, and Milton, Jerry and Eddie hastily scurried off to the food line, to see who's getting in line first. Rudy trailed behind them, clearly with worry. I faced Jack.

"Jack, I'm going to go see Grace. She told me in the letter to meet her." I said.

"You sure? Do you want me to come with you?" He asked. I shook my head, and laughed a bit.

"It's just Grace, Jack, not The Black Dragons." I laughed. He chuckled.

"Well if you need anything just…" But as soon as his eyes was fixed on something else, his eyes enlarged, and his look adamant, it was as if he was a wax figure. His mouth was ajar, and his lips slightly quivered.

"What? What is it?" I asked, confused. He pointed a shaky finger to the other end of the room. I turned around and tried to match my eyes to the place where Jack was pointing at.

And when I saw what—or who—he was pointing to, my expression partnered his. For who I saw was someone I thought I'd never see again. He locked eyes with us, giving us a sinister sneer, and he cracked his knuckles, looking like he was prepared to kill us. When looking into his sea-blue eyes, it's like an angry tsunami was playing in it, filled with rage and…revenge.

That person…was Drake.

"That….little…" I said, narrowing my eyes. I saw Drake smirk at our shocked expressions. He pointed a finger at us, and pretended to slit his own throat. I slightly gasped.

_We're dead. _

"Jack…" I said, still facing Drake. "It was him! He was the one who beat the poor kid up just for the clue. What are we going to do? By the time this thing is over, he'll cut us up, and bury our bodies underground!"

"Don't worry, just avoid him at all costs." Jack whispered in my ear, in a hushed tone. I nodded. I finally tore my eyes away from Drake's piercing, villainous eyes, skimming them throughout the hall to see if Grace was there.

"Do you see Grace anywhere?" I asked, still in a shaky breath. He looked along with me.

"No….wait—" Jack pointed a finger which made me turn around yet again, to see the one and only Grace Miller, standing outside the hallway. Her pin-straight coffee-brown hair glided over her shoulders and this time, she wore a pastel-colored tank top with short-shorts making me feel more of an outcast than last time. She faced me, and enlightened the room with that gorgeous smile of hers, relieved to see that I actually wanted to make eye contact with her. She gestured her hand to me, beckoning me to go to her. I nodded, and faced Jack.

"Okay, well, I guess that's my cue." I laughed.

"Be careful, okay?" Jack told me. I rolled my eyes playfully and sighed.

"Grace is not going to murder me, relax dude," I said, smiling.

"It's not Grace I'm worried about…" He said, his voice trailing off. My face suddenly grew dead serious.

_Oh. _

"Yeah…you too." I said. "Thanks." I patted my hand on his arm, and quickly sauntered off to the exit, where Grace was standing motionlessly. I saw Drake, laughing about something with his friends. I did my best neglecting him, and sneakily walking in such a way that he didn't make eye contact with me. Thankfully, it worked. Before I knew it, I was standing to face-to-face with Grace, and she flashed a grateful smile.

"You got the note, didn't you?" Grace said smiling. I however didn't even crack a smile. I nodded stiffly, showing her the paper that haunted me all night…that caused me to…_cry. _

"I didn't think you would find it." Grace said.

"Well, what can I say? I'm a sight for a sore letters." I smirked, still trying to mask on an expressionless face. She laughed.

"Well, I just wanted to know one thing," She said. "Do you think we could…start over?"

_Start over?_

I thought about that, and after analyzing it further, it made me realize that it was an _impossible _event. Starting over was too much. If it meant to start over, that meant we'd have to start over from Day 1. From the day we both were born. From the day we learned to walk together. From the day we learned to smile. From the day we both spoke our first word to eachother.

Our First Word: Friend.

"I don't think starting over would be the most smartest thing to do," I said, still not making direct eye contact with her.

"So…can we still be friends?" She tried again. This time, I did make eye contact with her, and when looking into those dark brown eyes, they were filled with…concern. And…water?

I sighed deeply. "I'll have to think about it, Grace. I mean…you're not even explaining me anything. You're keeping a secret that involves lying and backstabbing me…to yourself. Think about how messed up that sounds. Bye Grace." I started walking out when she caught me.

"Kim, wait." She demanded.

"What?" I asked coldly, my voice filled with resent.

She loosened the grip on my arm, and let out a deep sigh. She came closer to my ear, and whispered something.

"Hawaii."

_Is there something wrong with my ears? _

"Wait…" I said, pulling away from our little ear-to-ear whispering. "What did you say?"

She looked impatient. She whispered it again in my ear. "Hawaii."

I pulled away. "But what do you mean by—"

"SSH!" I hissed. "That's all I'm saying. Well, I hope you think about it. I don't know if we're ever going to be friends again—" Hurt enveloped her voice. "—But I really do hope we meet again…and after this whole thing is over…go back to the old days. Bye Kim." She gave me a small smile, and scurried off. Although she intended to leave me to reflect on whether or not we should be friends again, I couldn't stop thinking about what she told me.

"_Hawaii." _

What does that have to do with anything? Is she going to move there next?

Dazed, and still in deep thought, I stumbled back to Jack, where I bumped into someone else.

"Oh, I'm so…" I said to the person I bumped into, but my voice trailed off as I saw who it was. The boy was tall, with a strapping build and dirty blonde hair that spiked perfectly on top of his head. He spread that kind, incredibly cute smile that instantly made me smile.

"Travis! Hi!" I said, stunned to see him. His expression matched mine, his eyes slightly broadening, and his smile growing bigger.

"Kim! Wow, I am so happy to see you…I got scared if you were disqualified from the competition or something."

I laughed. "Come on, I mean with me in the group, it's kind of hard." I teased. He chuckled a cute laugh, and looked at me in the eyes.

"Right, of course," He said. He stared down at me with those shocking hazel eyes. "Well, listen um…I was thinking that since this Hunt is going to get really…intense, we should probably form an alliance. My dojo-mates have already agreed, and I was thinking to form an alliance with your dojo. You know, for safety purposes, and, so we could maybe…get to know eachother a little better along the way." He rendered on a shy smile, facing me with those pleading eyes. My eyes lit up in interest. Make an alliance, with a guy as sweet as him?

"Sure I'd—" But I immediately shut my voice down, realizing that, unfortunately…I couldn't.

There was only one person standing in the way of this.

Jack.

"I can't." I said. "My uh, group they didn't want to make any alliances, since we were forced to live on that whole 'trust no one' thing. Sorry." I said.

"Oh, um…it's okay." He said, with hurt shredding out his voice, making me feel guilty. "But, just know Kim that you can trust me. In fact, I was thinking maybe later today we could go grab something to eat, maybe take a walk down Central Park? Since Checkout for every group is tomorrow and everything."

Wait…did Travis just ask me out?

"Um…well I'd—"

"Kim?"

I spun around, revealing an indignant Jack, with his glare slightly piercing. "I uh, hate to interrupt your little flirtation going on here, but we got to go," Jack took my hand, and dragged me off. I immediately released the grip from his hand.

"Can't you see I'm talking with someone?" I hissed.

"Oh, I'm sorry, it's just that Rudy wanted to tell you something important, but clearly Travis seems more important at the moment." Sarcasm crept out of Jack's tone. I was taken aback by how envious he was, just when I had a simple conversation with him.

"Ah, _now _I see the problem here," Travis said, slightly smiling. "Are you guys, like a…thing?"

Jack and I quickly exchanged looks. "No!" We both exclaimed in unison.

"Well, I guess I'll see you later, Kim. Oh, that reminds me…" He pulled his phone out. "Can I have your number?" With a smile, I took his phone, punching in the numbers and adding it to his contact. I gave it back to him, and he gave a radiant smile.

"Thanks, I'll uh…text you or something."

"Kay…see you later, Travis," I said, smiling and waving.

With a shy and unconfident wave, he sauntered off, leaving me and a conflicted-looking Jack alone. He faced me, his eyes bugged out with fury.

"What?" I asked, unable to grasp what I did wrong.

He took my hand, dragging me to where Rudy was. "What happened to _trust no one_?" He asked.

"Calm down, Jack I just gave him my number, what are you so worked up about?" I countered.

"Nothing, it's just that…there's something not right in that guy's head. I can see it. I don't trust him

"Come on Jack, he's definitely no Drake…he's sweet, and shy and—"

"Stupid!" Jack finished. I rolled my eyes. "I'm telling you there's something just not right about him."

"Sure Jack, you're telling me that he's some psychomaniac that's on a killing spree?" I said sarcastically.

"I was thinking more like a breaking-hearts spree." Jack said. I rolled my eyes once more, and before I could argue anything, we were once again reunited with our sensei, and the goofballs that had a number of foods stacked on their plates.

"So, does anybody have any idea what the clue is?" Eddie said, stuffing his mouth with chicken.

"Not a single clue." Jack said. "I've tried looking at the clue again and again, but I got nothing…is it just me?"

"No…it's even me!" Milton said, pointing at himself.

"Wait, how did the clue go again?" Jerry asked.

I sighed, and as I had it memorized, I recited it once more:

"_You wouldn't expect to find a clue about a sword—or China— in a place like this,_

_With hot rocks exploding, and spirits gone amiss_

_In this atoll, you could be enlightened with fun_

_But beware of the curses you could endure under its hot sun._

_You will find me in a place where the sun does not shine_

_Where the spirits shall moan, and where you shall whine."_

"Okay, how about we break it down." Rudy said, now going into a more hushed tone, so that way nobody would hear us. "Hot rocks exploding…wouldn't that be a—"

"Volcano?" I asked. Rudy nodded. "Yeah, but…"

My voice trailed off.

_Wait a second. _

_Hot rocks exploding. _

_Volcanoes. _

_Atoll. _

_Piece of land. _

_ISLAND. _

_SPIRITS. _

_FUN? _

"We're so stupid!" I screamed. Unfortunately, that caused a lot of people to stare at us, in a weirded-out, perplexed kind of way, much to my embarrassment, causing my cheeks to slightly burn in a dark red color.

"Kim, you're making us look bad!" Jerry hissed. I sighed impatiently.

"Guys, it's because we really are stupid," Jack agreed, this time in a more hushed tone. He faced me with a smile, obviously flaunting that he knew where I was talking about. "Think about it. Volcanoes? Pieces of land?"

"OH!" The boys said in unison. They all had wide smiles plastered on their faces, indicating that they knew where the place was. I smiled too.

This time, we all figured out where our third clue would be hidden.

_Honolulu, Hawaii. _

"You'll never believe who told me where it was," I breathed in Jack's ear, with Grace instantly popping in mind.

**A/N- Ta Da! Hope you all LOVED it! Okay, so let's have a recap! Now, before you go all crazy, my intentions for making Jack and Kim sleep together were for GOOD. I DIDN'T WANT IT THAT WAY. All I wanted to add comedy to the chapter, with them getting awkward with eachother and all. I did NOT and I repeat DID NOT want to go that far! Nothing happened overnight, okay? Just making that clear, don't want you guys getting the wrong idea. Just for comedy purposes! Anyway, so since so many of you guys were constantly asking me about Kim's secret past, I decided to add that in for you as a dream. Keep in mind that you guys only know about her dark past. Not even Jack knows yet. But don't worry, this will impact later in the story! And the NOTE. Will Grace and Kim ever be friends again? Will Travis and Kim become an item? How will embark on their journey to Hawaii? **

**All will be answered soon…**

**To do that you must REVIEW! **

**Hehe! I'll see you all later with my next update! Once again, thanks for the 50 reviews! Love you all!**

**Peace and Love,**

**Taylor **


	6. Pool Dates and Curses

**A/N-Hey guys! It's Taylor, back with the 6th chapter for The Hunt! Can you believe it's been a month already since I published this story? And it's doing so well! So thank you guys so much for all the sweet reviews. Love you all! In this chapter, and spoiler alert, they don't find the third clue yet. Just a heads up. And there's a little more Kick in this chapter too :) **

**Enjoy the chapter! **

* * *

><p><span>KIM<span>

Imagine the irony.

We just arrived to our 5-Star Resort in The Big Island, Hawaii standing in the outdoor lobby, with our check-in complete. The environment seemed so peaceful and relaxing, you yearn to swim in their pool, taste their exotic foods, inhale their fresh air, and lie in the shade as the cool tropical breeze dances on your face, living in ultimate paradise. How I wished I could take out my bathing suit, dive into the pool right away and swim, letting all the stress, worry and fear dissolve into the chlorine. I stared around, and I could see lovely palm trees dangling blissfully, as the wind brushed through it. I could see many families strolling by, with their kids jumping up and down excitedly, and the parents smiling at the joy they brought to their kids, making me ultimately smile. I could hear joyous laughter and squeals, causing the lust to join, laugh and ease off with them.

But tell me.

Are we here to relax? Are we here to embark on a tranquil vacation?

I'm afraid not.

We were here to merely do the opposite of venturing into a soothing vacation. We were in Hawaii to play one dangerous game. With clues, fights, cameras, and a whole lot of risk.

"I can't believe we're _actually _in Hawaii, in a resort as well-structured as this!" Milton exclaimed. He inhaled deeply. "Ah, the sweet Hawaiian air, filled with the exotic scent of palm trees—" He sniffed using his nose some more "—And bird poop." He cringed his nose in disgust. I laughed. Eric's eyes were pierced onto the camera, rotating it 360 degrees to catch the beautiful, tropical world of Hawaii.

"Hawaii is oh so beautiful!" Eric exclaimed. "I wish we were here to relax."

_I wish we were too. _

"Well, we had a long flight, guys." Rudy said, stretching his arms, and smiling at the glorious view of Hawaii. "And it's getting a little late. I say we go up to our hotel, freshen up and we'll meet up at the buffet for a nice, gourmet meal. Tomorrow, we're going to go on a little tour around the island, so maybe we could find out about where the clue could be hidden. And with the courtesy of Bobby, we got booked for one two-in-one suite, and another…one-in-one suite."

I looked around the campus of the resort, and I must say, I've never seen a resort look this big. Tall tower-like buildings were posted around the campus, with people casually strolling by in their bathing suits, laughing and talking. A large fountain was posted in the middle, causing us to gawk in awe at the unique architecture of it. You could faintly see swimming pools at the back of every tower, with activity lounges also being a part of the large resort campus, bringing a pleased smile to my lips.

"Me, Jerry and Milton will take the smaller suite," Eddie said. He juvenilely smiled at the two. "We got a little something-something planned for our night, right guys?"

Milton and Jerry danced on another childish, immature smile. "Oh yeah, we totally know what we're doing!" Jerry said.

"You have no idea what we're going to do tonight, do you?" Milton asked.

"No idea," Jerry shook his head. Rudy tossed them the keys, Eddie dragged Milton and Jerry and they ran to the towers that our rooms were in. There were many towers around this campus, making it a humongous resort, and making it a humongous place to relax.

"I guess we have the two-in-one room, which means Kim…you get your own room. Jack and I will share the other one." Rudy said.

I held my hands out in the air, an enlarged smile curved upon my face. "YES!" I screamed triumphantly. I hugged Rudy. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" I squealed. I turned to Jack, and gave smirked at him.

"Let's see who can get to our room first while rolling our luggage," I challenged. Jack grabbed the handle of his luggage, giving me a playful, infantile smile.

"Oh you're so on." Jack said. I laughed. Rudy tossed us the keys.

"Okay, just make sure you freshen up and meet me back at the buffet hall for dinner!" Rudy warned. Exchanging feisty looks, Jack and I sprinted to our hotel room, with the wind blowing mistily through our faces. We laughed like little children, acting like this really was a vacation. It even seemed like we were embarking on our own getaway, and that we've come to Hawaii just to look blindly at volcanoes, rainforests, and pools.

But no matter how hard Jack and I tried, we both knew it was pointless.

We came to Hawaii for one and only one reason.

The _Miao Dao _sword.

* * *

><p>"Welcome to our grand dinner at The Hawaiian Resort!" Bobby said, raising his glass. I smiled, sitting right next to Jack. Milton, Jerry and Eddie sat right opposite of our circular table, playing with the lobster that sat on their plate. For Rudy's sake, we all wore formal clothing, this time <em>thankfully <em>matching the rest of the people's style of clothing. I wore a silky pink strapless dress, my hair tied into a neat bun, with loose curls hanging on the ends. I wore a matching pearl necklace, and even though I admittedly had never dressed like this before, I will admit I looked pretty good. Many of the groups were here already, in their tuxedos and dresses, most of them seeming pretty nice. Once we all held our glasses, we dived into the elaborate meals that were prepared intricately on our plate.

"Have any of you seen Grace?" I asked subconsciously. The guys shrugged.

"I haven't seen her," Jerry said nonchalantly.

"Kim, the Miami Dojo didn't want to eat with us. They went to eat somewhere else." Milton said. My shoulders slumped, and my feelings darkened a bit.

_Why is Grace avoiding me? _

"Wow Kim, you look…amazing in that dress." Jack said, staring in awe at the brightness of my dress.

"Thanks," I said, smiling. "But trust me, the next time you'll be seeing me like this, is Senior Prom." Jack laughed.

"Well, then I can't wait for Prom." Jack said, smiling at me. I smiled back. Jack was about to open his mouth, as if he was about to tell me something.

Before he was interrupted.

"Kim?" I heard another voice. I shot my head up from Jack's eyes, noticing Travis, with an ornate tuxedo, and a kind smile. God, he looked _handsome. _I smiled back, a bit half-heartedly.

"Hi Travis!" I said, trying to mask on the brightest look I could possibly muster. I stood up to greet him.

"Hey, buddy!" I heard Jerry scream. Travis and I stared at Jerry. "Can't you see Kim and Jack were having a moment at the time?" A dark red shade drew on my face, and I gave Jerry a cold glare, mouthing to words "Shut up!".

"Oh, I'm sorry was I—"

"No!" I said. "Not at all."

"Oh good," He said, flashing on an incredibly cute smile. "Wow Kim, you look…beautiful in that dress."

I stared down at it. "Thanks." I smiled. I stared at the empty seat that was next to me. "Um, do you want to sit here?"

"I'd love to!" He said, smiling, and sitting down next me. We both started talking together, smiling and sometimes even laughing.

What a guy.

From talking to Travis today, he seemed so sweet. All the charming things he's told me…how he lives by the Wasabi Code…how he always puts his family and friends first…how he even helps to raise awareness for kids with disabilities in his school, back in North Carolina, which was where he was from.

Yet my feelings to him still remained cynical.

And out of the corner of my eye, I could see Jack's face slapped with hurt…and envy.

* * *

><p><span>JACK<span>

Now _that's _what I call a gourmet dinner.

I could still taste the steamy, delectable, spicy fish as it loitered in my tongue. Rudy forced us to wear "fancy" clothing as we just ate dinner with the rest of the groups, which meant that I had to see Travis's constant flirting with Kim, and Drake's ugly snorts. Honestly, I didn't know why I felt _jealous_ whenever Travis flirtatiously talked with her. However, there's that subconscious voice in my head that's screaming...telling me that he's not to be trusted. That something's wrong with him.

_Must be your "trust no one" initiative on overdrive, Jack. Calm down. _

Anyway, so once the lavish dinner was finally done with, I went back to my hotel room.

You wouldn't expect for a hotel room to look as "homey" as this. Two beds with the frames made out of artificial palm tree branches, rested on one side of the sunny yellow-painted walls. Couches were planted on the side of mine and Rudy's room, with our luggage scattered at a corner. The moon had shimmered out in our patio, where we could see a perfect view. Our room was at one of the top floors of the one of the towers, so being able to step out in the patio and look at the stars was like seeing a whole new world.

I ditched my stupid fancy get-up into a plain top and shorts and stepped out into the patio, where I could see the gorgeous view of the moon, the stars, and the pool that was right below me, with lights dimming at the sides. My eyes skimmed through the view, admiring the fantastic job those builders did, making the pool look oh so luxurious.

That's when I saw a girl sitting on a chaise lounge.

Even in the dim light, I could still make out the honey blonde hair flowing over her shoulders.

_Kim. _

Leaving the hotel room, I rushed down the elevator, and entered the poolside, where I see Kim focused on something she held in her hands, as she folded her legs with her hair blocking the view of her face. I smiled.

Why not have a little fun with this?

I sneaked up behind her, immediately covering her eyes from behind her.

I could feel her body slightly tense and stiff, her short breaths growing louder and louder. I wanted to laugh so badly, but controlled myself as her voice broke out in a petrified shriek.

"Who…who's there?" She whimpered.

I drew my mouth closer to her ear. "The Ninja Monster." I teased. She immediately wrapped her fingers around my wrists and threw them back, turning around and narrowing her eyes at me coldly. She appeared to be "angry" with me, but I could apprehend a small little smile playing on her lips.

"The Ninja Monster?" She snapped. "Get a life." She smiled. We both laughed, and she resumed darting her eyes back and forth on the little piece of paper. I took a seat next to her on the chaise lounge.

"Watcha reading?" I asked, nudging her slightly.

"Just…" Her voice trailed off as she showed me what it was. It was a crumpled little sheet of lined paper, and with the dim light, it took me a few seconds to comprehend what was written.

But as soon as I caught a glimpse of the word "Grace" scribbled on the paper, I didn't need to read the rest.

"Why are you reading this again?" I asked Kim.

She sighed exasperatedly. "I don't know, it's just…does this letter seem the least bit…odd to you? I mean…this writing…I know Grace isn't this deep when it came to words. She's not really analytical as this letter…it's like an adult wrote this." She said, her coffee-brown eyes fixed on the note once more.

I patted her shoulder. "Must be your stressed-out, uncanny mind on overdrive." I said.

"I'm telling you," She said, showing me the note again. "Something's not right about this."

I sighed and stood up. "Okay, you know what you need?" I accused a finger in her face. "You need to relax and get your mind _off_ of this stupid hunt for two seconds."

"And how do I do that?" She asked, putting the note on the table.

"That is an excellent question." I said smiling. I took my shirt off and was an inch away from the water of the pool. I cast a glance towards Kim and her eyes were enlarged, looking at me like I'm some freak. I smirked as her mouth was slightly agape.

"What are you doing?" She asked cautiously. "With your shirt off?"

I was about to open my mouth to tell her but shut it.

Why tell Kim the answer.

When I can show her?

I turned around now face to face with the chlorine water. I lifted my legs off the ground, and with a loud "_splash!"_ my body collided into the pool, with my hair and shorts absorbing the icy cold water. Striding my feet back and forth, I make my way up, my head peering out of the pool water, coming face to face with a stunned Kim, as she knelt down near the pool, face to face with me. I spread out a wide smile.

"Jack!" She hissed. "You know we can't get in the pool without a lifeguard on duty!"

"It's called relaxing." I said, pushing my damp brown hair out of my eyes, floating in the water. "Something you should try."

"Jack, we're supposed to get back to the room anyway, Rudy expects us to be sleeping by now."

"Well, he's still playing poker with Bobby anyway, so we have some time for ourselves to relax!" I countered. "Unless, you know…you're too scared to swim."

She narrowed her eyes, seeming to grow a bit wary. "I am _not _afraid of swimming! In fact, if I was in my bathing suit, I'd be swimming freely in the pool by now, kay?"

I waded closer, and slumped my arms on the stone ground, She knelt down a bit closer to me, with our faces inches apart. We looked into eachothers eyes, and I cascaded on a smile.

"Oh, so if you're not afraid of swimming, then I'm assuming you wouldn't mind if I did this."

"No, no Jack! I mean it, don't you dare—"

With a quick grab of her arms, I managed to throw her down the pool, with that pitchy scream of hers, as she jumped inside with harsh "_crash!_"_._ The booming splash echoed in my ears oh so loudly. Water trampled on top of me, causing me to laugh a bit more. She rose up from the water, her mouth ajar, as she faced me wide-eyed, laughing a bit. She pushed her wet honey blonde hair away from her face, and smacked my arm.

"Jack!" She screamed, wading in the pool. "I can't believe—"

"I believe the words you're looking for are 'thank you'." I said. "Now you're relaxing!"

"Oh, thanks so much Jack…what would I do without you?" She smiled, with sarcasm clearly portrayed in her voice. I paddled a bit closer to her.

"Come on, we're in Hawaii…enjoy it while you have it," I said. Suddenly, those puppy-dog eyes emerged, and she faced me, her head drawing closer to me.

"I think I know just how to do that," She said, her face neutral, but staring into my eyes. We were centimeters apart, our heads nearly touching, and our breaths blowing at eachothers faces. Wait….

Suddenly, I felt an immense amount of pressure on my head.

With the pressure applied to my head, I sunk down almost losing breath. Luckily, I managed to battle the compression on my head and made my way back up. I faced Kim and all she did was laugh uncontrollably. That's when I realized…

Kim Crawford was the one who pushed me down into the pool.

Although this was serious, I couldn't help but laugh along with her. "What was that all about?" I screamed, still smiling to convey my forgiveness.

"I'm relaxing, Jack! Isn't that what you wanted me to do?" She giggled.

"So your way of relaxing is by drowning me?" I yelled, smiling.

"Hey, it was a joke…it's called having fun!" She said, flinging water in my face. We ended up hurling chlorine water at eachother, laughing, with wide smiles spread across her faces, pleased and amused. We both ended up growing soaking wet, but for some reason, didn't mind at all.

This was the most fun I've ever had.

She took my hand, beckoning me to stop. "I think we can call a truce to the Splashing War!" She said, still giggling. Rather than letting go, she held onto my hand, her fingers interweaving around mine, never seeming to let go. Our faces were drawn closer together, my eyes entwining in her poignant, bittersweet eyes. Our foreheads were less than a centimeter from colliding…our lips were centimeters away from brushing against eachothers. Suddenly, everything grew serene and discreet. All I could hear was our short, sharp breaths, and when looking into Kim's sweet, russet eyes, the temptation grew stronger.

_Kiss her Jack…just kiss her. _

I pushed strands of wet hair still scattered damply across her face, my hand making its way towards her neck. Her eyes were enlarged, but calmness flowed through it. That's when I leaned in…

And that's when I turned to see an angry man in a suit.

And Drake.

"Well, well, well look what we have here," The man in the suit said, folding his arms across his chest. "Hate to interrupt your little moment here," I quickly pulled away from Kim, squinting my eyes to read his nametag.

James Westfall.

_Manager _

Uh oh.

"I was wondering why Jack and Kim had run away from their dessert so quickly. I thought they were trying to diet for the sake of their fat bodies," Drake sneered. Hopefully, no one could make out the tightness of my clenched fists, sinking inside the pool water like rocks, along with my clenched teeth stiffly resting in my jaws.

"Young man and young lady, do you by any chance see a life guard anywhere?" Mr. Westfall said, feigning to look around the pool to see if there was a lifeguard.

"No," I heard Kim mumble.

"Then you shouldn't be in the pool making out with eachother." Drake said, smirking. I clenched my fists tighter. "It's against the rules."

"We weren't—" Kim began.

"One more infraction like that, and you'll be forced to stay elsewhere." Mr. Westfall said, with the cold-stone harshness in his voice. "Have I made myself clear?"

Kim and I nodded quickly.

"Sorry," I said. "It was all me, Kim had nothing to do with it."

"I don't care whose idea it was." Mr. Westfall said coldly. "Good…now…get out of the pool…and don't make me catch something like this ever again. _Please._" And with a stern glare, Mr. Westfall moseyed off in a military-like manner, leaving me, Kim…and unfortunately Drake alone. Quickly, we rose out of the pool, and I grabbed my shirt to return it back to my body to cover it.

"Oh…ruining cute moments…never gets old." Drake said.

"You're a real butt-hole, you know that?" Kim said coldly. Drake scoffed.

"No, Kimmy I did not," Drake falsified. He drew his face closer to both of ours. "But I do know that I'm back, well and healthy even after the accidents you caused me back in New York. Oh, I'm back…healthy and stronger than ever. So, if I were you, I'd better watch out. And this…is just the beginning." Kim and I exchanged worried looks.

"See you tomorrow, Jose losers," Drake said conceitedly shoving me aside with haste, promenading off to his room. I was about to charge for him, maybe possibly even…Pssh, I don't know…punch or kick the hell out of him.

When I felt a tight squeeze pressure on my hand.

"Jack, don't do it," Kim said. "It's really not worth it." I nodded and faced her once again, her face looking slightly panic-stricken.

"Kim, I'm really sorry about—"

"It's totally cool," She said, smiling. "In fact, it was pretty fun. It helped me get my mind off of a lot of things. It helped me relax…so thank you, for you know, enlightening the mood and all."

"No problem." I said. "Let's just get to our room and ditch all these soggy clothes." I said, staring at her damp tank top and shorts, and my damp shorts and tee. She laughed.

"You know I totally won that Splashing War, right?" I teased.

"Sure you did. Race you," She challenged. Laughing, she sprinted off to the entrance of the building, making her way towards the elevator, with me running behind her, bringing a smile to my lips as well. An electrifying sensation rolled up my spine, my heart feeling heavy, and my mind feeling as light as a feather.

_I can't believe I was about to kiss Kim. _

Why?

Did I really like her?

Was _I _the one to have the crush on _her _all along?

Well, one thing is for sure.

Ever since our little 'pool date', she was on my mind all night.

All night long.

* * *

><p>Drake Evans stared at the soon-to-be couple, Jack and Kim, from a distance as he saw them race off into the hotel. He hid behind a thorny bush, staring at the so-called karate experts He faced the so-called manager giving him a nod.<p>

"Thank you, sensei." Drake said. "Nice touch with the fake nametag."

"What was the point of that anyway, Drake?" The Sensei asked, confounded.

"That's for me to know, and for you not to find out. Aloha!" Drake sneered, waving goodbye. With a scowl, Drake's sensei sauntered off, leaving Drake alone in the poolside.

What could go wrong?

Think again.

Drake made his way towards the table seeing a crumpled little piece of paper. With a villainous chuckle, he picked up the paper, unfolding it.

Yes.

This was indeed what he was looking for.

He crunched the paper in his hands, and muttered, "Oh, Kimmy…you have no idea what you've just done."

There was only one thing that Drake Evans enjoyed.

And this is what he planned to use against Kim.

More importantly his precious boyfriend-to-be.

_Revenge. _

* * *

><p><span>MILTON<span>

Ah, Hawaii. The most heavenly place on earth. What great food. What great entertainment. What great sightseeing.

What a place.

I stood by the activity center, eating an ice cream cone, waiting for Jerry and Eddie to show up. I stared at my watch, the clock ticking and my anxiety growing slightly stronger. Where were those idiots? We're supposed to meet up with a massage therapist, Ailani. She said she was going to give us this ancient Hawaiian massage called the Lomilomi. My body vibrated in excitement at the sound of that, but the fact that Jerry and Eddie _still _didn't show up yet, made me to grow a bit apprehensive. We were supposed to leave for the tour and around 11, which meant we had only an hour.

_Holy Christmas Nuts, where ARE they? _

"Hey! Milton!" I heard Jerry's sing-song voice. I darted my head, seeing Jerry and Eddie walk up to me, with goofy grins plastered on their faces, a fruit in Eddie's hand, and a…rock in Jerry's hand?

"Sorry, we're late!" Eddie said. "You won't believe—"

"Where were you guys?" I asked. "We were supposed to meet up with Ailani 20 minutes ago! She's going to think we have bad time-management because of you dopes!"

"Oh no, arrest me for being 20 minutes late!" Jerry said sarcastically. I rolled my eyes. "But look at what Eddie and I found!" He showed me a grey, hard rock.

A rock?

A ROCK?

"Uh, it's a very…nice looking rock?" I said, unsure of how to react. "Is that really the best excuse you could come up with? You found a rock?"

"Oh, it's not just _any _rock," Eddie said, taking the rock from Jerry's hands. "It's a volcano rock! A dude by the lobby handed the rock to me! He said he got it from the actual volcano! How cool is that?"

"So, he just…handed it to you?" I asked impatiently. "No price?"

"Well, he did have this…scared look," Jerry said, seeming to think harder. "And when he handed it to us he said—" Jerry counterfeited a Hawaiian accent here—"'PLEASE! Take this! And don't give it back! I don't want it! Madam Pele, please don't punish me!' and then he ran off."

"Who's Madam Pele?" I asked, clearly confused.

"Who knows?" Eddie asked. "But anyway, so we took it, and we brought it over here. Isn't it cool?"

"Yeah, I guess." I said, examining the rock. "Alright, let's go meet Ailani. I don't want to miss my Lomilomi massage!" And with that¸ Jerry, Eddie and I sprinted into the activities center, ending up face-to-face with a….a…_gorgeous _looking young woman. Soft, silky brunet hair cascaded elegantly over her emaciated shoulders. She wore a beautiful dress decorated in tropical flowers. Her skin was a beautiful golden tan, and her thin, beautiful pink lips formed into a kind, picturesque smile.

"Hi, how can I help you?" The attractive woman said, in a heavy Hawaiian accent.

"Whoa." Jerry said, with a goofy grin, practically drooling and staring at the woman in awe. "Hot…pretty…"

"We're looking for Ailani, she's our massage therapist?" I said, glaring at Jerry. "We're so sorry for being late."

"Oh, really?" She said, standing up. She held out a hand. "You must be Milton, Jerry and Eddie, no? I am Ailani! Pleased to meet you!" Before I could shake her smooth, soft hand Jerry shoved Eddie and I aside, immediately shook her hand.

"Hi, I'm Jerry. Mexican. 14. How ya doing?" He said, raising his eyebrows flirtatiously. I rolled my eyes.

Ailani giggled. "Mexican, huh? I know Spanish too! But you should know…_Tengo Viente anos._" She smirked, letting go of Jerry's tight grip.

"Well, pfft, you're just six years older than me! It's still possible!" Jerry said.

"Alright, so who wants to go first?" She asked us.

"I'll go!" Eddie volunteered. "Do you know where I can put my rock?"

Rather than giving a casual answer, Ailani's face slightly tensed up, her lips quivering, her eyes twitching, and a slight gasp escaping from her soft lips. She stared at the rock as if Eddie was holding a mutant alien in his hands, as if it could eat her at any second. "Where did you get that?" She asked frantically.

"Oh, some dude by the lobby gave it to us." Eddie replied. "Isn't it cool? It was an actual volcano rock!"

She backed away from the rock. "Get that thing _away _from me! Do you realize it's powers?"

"Whoa, calm down foxy mamasita, it's just a rock!" Jerry said, holding his hands up.

"It is a cursed volcano rock, that's what it is!" Ailani squealed. We exchanged confused looks, Eddie's confident, giddy hands loosening its grip on the rock.

"What do you mean _cursed_?" I asked cautiously.

"There is an ancient legend," She said. A cold look gleamed in her eyes, her pupils looking like stones, as she mystically glowed at us. "You may have heard about it. There is a legend that says Madam Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire who commands the volcanic action on Hawaii's Big Island, lives in the fire pit in _Halema'uma'u_ crater, at the summit caldera of the _Kilauea_ volcano. Madam Pele doesn't like to have lava rocks stolen once they have cooled and settled. It is said that anyone who removes a piece of rock from the Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park will incur her wrath. Bad luck is certain to follow." She exhaled deeply. Jerry, Eddie and I exchanged apprehensive looks, with fear dominating all our eyes.

"So, this rock…" Jerry said, fingers shaking as he pointed to the rock Eddie now wanted to let go of. "Is…cursed?"

"It is not the rock that's the cursed." Ailani breathed. "It is you guys. And with all due respect boys…" She approached us a bit closer. "GET OUT OF MY SPA!" And she shoved us out the door, locking it behind her.

Ailani just kicked us out. And now we won't get a Lomilomi massage.

"I will never forget you, Ailani!" Jerry cried dramatically. I rolled my eyes.

"What are we going to do?" Eddie asked. "We're officially cursed."

"I'm scared, man!" Jerry wailed. "I don't want to die by Madam Pele!"

"Relax guys, okay? I mean, come on you guys have been holding that thing for the past 20 minutes and nothing's happened so let's just—"

"JERRY, WATCH OUT!" Eddie screamed. A confused Jerry looked in the direction Eddie was pointing to.

Noticing a coconut moving towards him at a fast speed.

Unfortunately, before Jerry could react and duck, the coconut hit his forehead, and with that silly KO'd expression, Jerry immediately fell to the ground.

Me and Eddie exchanged fretful looks.

"Holy Christmas Nuts!" I screamed. "We're…we're…"

"CURSED!" Eddie screamed.

With that, we screamed, and whimpered like maniacs.

It was official.

We were under a curse by a Hawaiian goddess.

* * *

><p><span>KIM<span>

"_You wouldn't expect to find a clue about a sword—or China—in a place like this,_

_With hot rocks exploding, and spirits gone amiss_

_In this atoll, you could be enlightened with fun_

_But beware of the curses you could endure under its hot sun._

_You will find me in a place where the sun does not shine_

_Where the spirits shall moan, and where you shall whine."_

_Sigh. _

So many words.

So many riddles.

It's rendering itself useless.

I stared at the little index card with the riddle on it, reading the passage over and over, yet nothing comes in mind as to where the clue could be hidden in an island like this.

_You will find me in a place where the sun does not shine. _

_Where the spirits shall moan, and where you shall whine. _

How can the sun _not _shine in a place? It's Hawaii for crying out loud! Where do spirits normally moan? Why would we whine?

So many questions.

No answers.

Giving up, I dropped the index card on my bed, and walked to the mirror to check if I was looking okay for the tour. My magenta tank top matched well with my white short-shorts. I felt my hair, still smelling the chlorine from last night.

Suddenly, the vivid scenes whirred back in my head, the scene playing again and again like a movie.

I think you know what scene I'm talking about.

_The almost-kiss. _

I could still evoke Jack's eyes, a calm, creamy sea of chocolate, mesmerizing my mind. His hand gingerly wrapped around my neck. His hand daintily pushing my damp blonde hair away from my face.

The proximity of our lips so close, I could still feel the wind of his breath walk over me.

So close.

Yet so far.

Hesitant to admit it, but I had the temptation. I actually wanted Jack Anderson to kiss me. I actually wanted his lips to brush against mine. When we got up to the hotel room, all alone since Rudy was _still _playing poker at the time, Jack acted like it had never happened. Even I acted like it never happened, that we never almost-kissed. All we did was shower, change, talk for a bit, and sleep.

But on the inside…

It lingered in my head the entire night.

Am I being melodramatic about this?

Or is it true?

That I'm actually falling for Jack, one of my closest friends?

One side of me wants to say _hell no. _

While the other side wants to dearly say _yes_.

I thought I liked Travis?

What if...

"Kim?"

I darted my head up, seeing Jack standing there, with his V-Neck and shorts, a hat planted on top of his head. He gave me a smile, and sat next to me.

"Hi," I simply said, departing from that little world and resuming back to my riddle-hunting. "Where's Rudy?"

"Oh, he's just taking a shower, he should be out soon." Jack said. I nodded.

"Jack, do you have any idea where the clue could be hidden?" I asked him.

"No idea." He said, taking the index card from my hands. "Well, let's think…where do suns not shine directly on?"

"If Milton was here, he'd give a scientific explanation on how it's impossible for the sun not to shine, and that the light will always be indirectly upon everything." I teased. Jack chuckled.

"Where is Milton anyway?" He asked. "And Jerry and Eddie?"

Before I could reply (my initial response being 'I don't know') I felt my phone vibrating in my shorts pocket. I pulled it out of my pocket, and noticed I got a text message. Confused I opened it up, revealing to find a text from Milton. Jack and I stared at my phone, confused.

_Sorry we didnt meet up with u. meet us at the lobby. fast. before Madam Pele eats us alive! _

"Who's Madam Pele?" I asked Jack. He shrugged.

"Then again, when do we ever understand what Milton's talking about?" Jack said, laughing. I chuckled.

Then it happened _again. _

Caught in eachothers eyes once more. Our faces centimeters apart.

"Kim...I'm sorry for yesterday." He said.

"Jack, you said you were sorry like a million times," I said, slightly smiling.. "Let it go, it's fine. You were just trying to help me relax, and it worked."

"I wasn't talking about getting caught." Jack said, his face growing into an intense red.

_Wait, then what do you mean by…? _

_OH. _

"It's okay, um…" I quickly escaped my eyes from his, exhaling deeply. My cheeks started burning as if fire danced on it. I didn't want to talk about what happened. It was just too awkward. "Let's just get back to the clue."

"Yeah, sure," Jack said, clearing his throat ineptly, fixing his eyes to the notecard.

"Okay, so let's think…where doesn't the sun _directly _shine?" I asked.

"Maybe someplace dark…like a…underground ditch or something?" Jack suggested.

"But do spirits moan there?" I countered. He stroked his chin, deeply in thought.

"Well, it could be because—"

"Wassup Jack and Kim?" I heard Rudy yell giddily. I darted my head up, coming face-to-face with Rudy who seemed to be ready for adventure. A Safari Hat was rested on top of his head, with his khaki shorts and plain white t-shirt. He wore a vest with many pockets, and a bag was slumped over his shoulders.

"Nice get-up Rudy," Jack teased. Rudy rolled his eyes.

"Mock me if you will, but I've come prepared. We could be slaying tigers in a rainforest, or battling bats in a cave, so I want to come—"

"Wait!" I stopped him, thrusting my hand in front his face.

"I don't have to talk to the hand if I don't want to, Kim!" Rudy snapped. I rolled my eyes.

"No, not that!" I said. "What did you just say?"

"I don't have to talk to the hand if I don't want—"

"No, before that!" I said, growing a bit impatient.

"Mock me if you will, but I've come—"

"AFTER THAT!" I screamed. Jack and Rudy both gave me perplexed looks.

"Battling bats in a—"

"CAVE!" I cried cheerfully. "That's it!" I hugged Rudy, who had a baffled look on his face.

"What's it?" Rudy asked.

"Kim, as much I wish I did, I have _no _idea where you're going with this," Jack said, looking equally confused, his eyes enlarged.

"What are the attractions that we're going to see?" I asked Rudy quickly. He shifted through the pamphlet looking over the activities, still looking befuddles, obviously not comprehending where I was going with this.

"We're going to first see the Ahalauni Park, and stay there for a while. Then we're going to see Pearl Harbor, and go on a submarine tour, and then see the Kaumana Cave and lastly take an evening trip around the volcano. Why?"

I looked at Jack, and his face suddenly lit up, beckoning to what I was trying to interpret all along. We stared at him willingly, hoping that in that next few seconds he would finally grasp what I'm trying to indirectly tell him.

Yeah…

He didn't.

"Read the last two lines of the clue, Rudy," Jack said, clearly fed up, shoving the index card in Rudy's hand. Still the bamboozle he was, he read through the lines, saying them aloud.

"_You will find me in a place where the sun does not shine. _

_Where the spirits shall moan, and where you shall whine." _

Jack and I looked at him more willingly now. He stroked his chin deep in thought, as if this was a trick question on a test.

"Wait, wait…I know this one, don't tell me!" Rudy said, thinking hard.

"RUDY!" I said, grabbing ahold of his shoulders. "Bats? Cave? Sun doesn't shine?"

Suddenly, Rudy's face lit up, as if a light bulb shined atop of his head. "OH!" Rudy exclaimed. Jack and I laughed, shaking our heads in disbelief. Jack faced me smiling.

"So the clue is hidden in—"

"Yep." I answered Jack. I smiled. "The third clue is hidden in the Kaumana Cave. So, we need to figure out a way to skip the other attractions and get to the Kaumana Cave. Because if we don't sooner…the other groups will beat us to finding the third clue."

The third clue.

Within our reach.

In a 25-Mile long cave.

So close.

Yet so far.

* * *

><p><strong>AN- The end! Well, for their little relaxing time anyway. I figured, hey...these kids need a little break from all the clue hunting and such, so let's give it a recap! So they finally land in The Big Island, and it turns out Kim does get the relaxation she deserves. Speaking of relaxation, let's talk about THAT MOMENT. Omg! Jack and Kim almost about to kiss! Jack helping Kim to relax! Well, things were certainly a little steamy in this chappie! ;) And what about Travis and Kim. Turns out Kim's warming up to Travis. What will happen? Where did Grace go? And DRAKE! I think you all know what he took! How is going to use that against Kim? And, THE CURSE! Will Milton, Jerry and Eddie be able to return it back to the man? Maybe even drop it back at the volcano? Hmm...and I'm positive one of you will say something about them not involving, and here's what I'm going to say to you. DON'T WORRY. When the time comes, they will ultimately stand by Jack, Kim and Rudy and defeat clues together! Just not now. But I promise it will happen! **

**So now, they find out that the clue is hidden in the Kaumana Cave. Will they be able to get it? Or will the others beat them to it? **

**Yeah, lots of questions I still need to answer. **

**REVIEW PLEASE! THANK YOU!**

**Peace and love, **

**~Taylor :) 3**


	7. The Kill Mauna Cave

**A/N-Hey guys! This is Taylor, back with my update on The Hunt! Sorry, it took so long…I've dealt with a bit of Writers Block, but luckily I'm recovered so yay! And, I made this chapter shorter, because I know that I've been making it way too long before, so yeah. Once again, thank you guys for the reviews! Keep reviewing! I'd like to see if it's possible to get to 100 reviews. The thought of that sounds really amazing. Think we can make that happen, my amazing readers? Haha, anyway hope you all like this chapter! Be prepared for a shocking cliffy!**

**Refresher on the Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN KICKIN' IT, or the Kaumana Cave, or any attractions I've mentioned in Hawaii! **

* * *

><p><span>KIM<span>

"Ah, isn't this absolutely splendid?" Eric questioned, as he rotated his camera around the park that was leading us to the Kaumana Cave.

Splendid?

I wouldn't call it that.

Trees were liberally dangling in all areas, with exotic bushes and plants dancing in the cool Hawaiian breeze. Here and there, I could catch a glimpse of a few animals rapidly swinging by the trees, and I could hear subtle chirps humming from the plants. My flip flops trundled across the hard, rocky ground, and my hair was loosely tied back into a half-ponytail. We were now walking across Ahalauni Park, which frankly seemed more like a rainforest to me. I kept darting my eyes this way and that, but it soon decided itself useless.

There was no cave.

Not yet, anyway.

I stared at our tour guide, Kahili, who admittedly, was super cute. He seemed to be in his twenties, with jet-black hair slicked over his head, a golden tan flooding through his skin, and a daringly adorable smile. He looked somewhat skinny, wearing a Safari Hat, and a black V-Neck with Khaki shorts. Milton, being the know-it-all he was, constantly interrupted Kahili, giving his side of the facts. Jerry and Eddie frantically scurried their eyes around the park, as if someone were to grab them and slit their throat. Jack and Rudy stared in amazement at the beautiful exotic features of Hawaii, taking as many pictures as they can. As much as I wanted to listen to Kahili's rambling on the history of Ahalauni Park, I couldn't.

An hour of the tour had already past.

We _needed _that clue. Fast.

"Hey Kahili?" I asked. He stopped whatever he was saying, and turned to me, flashing on that endearing smile.

"Yes uh…Kim?" He said in a mix between a Hawaii accent, and an average American accent.

"When are we going to get to see the Kaumana Cave?"

"Oh, well, as a matter of fact, it's just right through that herd of trees…why?"

"Oh…pssh, I'm just, like, really into caves. I'm, like, a total cave girl, you know with the Stalagmites, and the Stalactites, and uh… the, you know…bats." I attempted, flashing on a sheepish grin. Kahili just gave me a weird look, with Jack shaking his head in disbelief. I could feel my face burning slightly.

"And I thought I was the stupid one," Jerry said, with a goofy grin. I punched his arm, my face growing into a deep shade of red.

_Okay Kim, note-to-self…you don't have the talent for lying. _

"Alright then, but you know we're not actually going into the cave, right? We'll just merrily pass by it, that's all." Kahili said.

"WHAT?" Jack, Rudy, and I yelled in unison, our eyes enlarged, frantically staring at the young man.

"Well, it's a 25 Mile Long Cave. And with the bony kid, and the fat kid here, it's going to take us at least fifteen minutes per mile."

"Hey!" Milton and Eddie screamed simultaneously, with hurt dripping out of their voice.

"Sorry guys. I thought it would save time for the volcano, which is the most popular attraction in all of Hawaii."

"Well, we care about caves too!" Rudy said. "I mean, pfft, who doesn't?"

"Uh…perhaps everyone Rudy." Eric said. I nudged him, giving him a piercing look showing that he wasn't helping with the situation at all. How are we supposed to find the clue now? Kahili gave us a bizarre look, and resumed to his blathering about the Kaumana Cave. Fascinated, Milton, Jerry and Eddie stared at Kahili eagerly, waiting to eat up more information.

"Uh, will you just excuse us for just one second, please?" I asked Kahili with in a high-pitch voice, pushing the gang aside, with Eric trailing after us. We made sure we were away from Kahili so he wouldn't hear us. Taking no notice, he merrily stared at the "park", admiring the scenery and taking a few of his own pictures.

"Guys, we need to figure out a way to sneak into the cave." I said. "Otherwise, it's game over."

"Are you sure you're not going to the cave, just because you want to see the stalagmites?" Milton teased. The group laughed. I gave him a penetrating glare, taking a threatening step towards him, causing him to hide behind Jack. I rolled my eyes.

"I'm serious." I said. "We need to get that clue. What if Drake's group and Grace's group have already gotten the clue, and are probably on their way to…I don't know…Sweden or something by now!"

"Or worse…" Jack shuddered. "Travis's group."

"What do you have against Travis?" I asked a bit irritably, turning my head to him in curiosity. Before he could answer, Rudy stepped in.

"Okay, okay, let's not get off topic here," Rudy said. "Now I have a plan. But I don't know if you all are going to be happy to hear it."

"Come on Rudy, we're not babies." Jerry said. "Lay it on us."

"You, Milton and Eddie are going to have to stay with Kahili." Rudy said, with a guilty look. They're eyes widened.

"What?" They screamed in unison.

"That's not fair!" Eddie stomped his foot.

"We're part of this dojo too!" Jerry yelled.

"I'm taking this to the court!" Milton said.

"Whoa guys, calm down!" Jack said, holding Milton's arm comfortingly. "It's okay. And I think I get what Rudy's saying. You guys have to stay with Kahili as a distraction, while we sneak into the cave. Kahili's going to freak out if we all left, so we need someone to stay. Sorry…but we promise to get you involved in the next one!" Milton, Jerry and Eddie pouted their lips in disappointment.

"But how do we know that you guys are safe? What if Kahili starts to ask more questions?" Eddie asked.

"Just tell them we had to go back to the hotel for something. If we're not back in an hour, then get some help." Jack said.

"Okay…fine." Milton said reluctantly. "But you have to promise we help find the clue next time!"

"Alright fine!" I said, a bit impatiently. "Just go distract him so we can get through the flock of trees to get to the Cave."

"I was born for distracting, yo!" Jerry said, holding his hands out triumphantly.

"I smell a prank coming on!" Eddie said goofily. Jerry cheered, and they high-fived eachother. Milton rolled his eyes, and faced us.

"Be careful, okay?" Milton asked us, being the concerned, sweet person he always was. I smiled at him and gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. I almost took pity on Milton…his heart was always in the right place, always set to help us out with this Hunt…in fact, he did back home, when we were researching at the library. Yet, he always gets lured into the wonderful, chaotic world of Jerry and Eddie. Hopefully, he'll get to join us on our adventures as well.

"We'll be fine, don't worry." Rudy said. "Now go!" And with that, Rudy hastily shoved Milton, Jerry and Eddie aside to Kahili, so they could resume with their tour.

While we take a detour to a whole new adventure.

Jack, Rudy, Eric and I immediately hid behind the bushes, so Kahili wouldn't be able to notice us. Our bodies crouched as low as we could, we evaded Kahili's sight, concealing behind every plant we possibly could. I could hear Kahili's confused murmuring about us, which only caused more anxiety to rush through my blood.

Eric eyed Jack and me deliberately. "Oh, so it's just the two lovebirds and their sensei back in action once more?" Eric said, raising an eyebrow. "Well, this is certainly bound to be an amazing adventure." I rolled my eyes, my cheeks heating up, as well as Jack's.

"Shh!" I hissed irritably continuing to rush through the trees to get the cave. However, as much as I hated to admit it, most of Eric the Cameraman's statement was somewhat…_correct. _

Two _confused _lovebirds.

And a giddy, but motivated sensei.

The group back in action for another adventure.

It's the "amazing" part I'm not too optimistic about.

* * *

><p>"Whoa," We all breathed, staring in awe at where we were standing at the moment.<p>

We were here.

Inside the Kaumana Cave.

_Whoa._

I could hear the resonance of water dripping throughout the cave. Fortunately, since the sun was gleaming oh-so-brightly outside, it wasn't completely dark inside the cave. However, it was as if we were stepping into a dragon's mouth, with circular rims on the arch-like, rocky ceiling. The ground seemed moist and a bit muddy on the bottom, much to my resent. I reluctantly stepped further inside, a bit intimidated to be inside an eerie cave. Rudy turned on the flashlight, his eyes fearfully dashing around the area of the cave. I turned my eyes to Jack, his face looking flushed with anxiety, as well as mine. As for Eric, he seemed thrilled, avidly twisting his camera in all directions to catch the world of the spine-chilling, sinister-looking cave.

"This cave looks creepy…" Rudy said. "You know what, I take it back. I don't wanna battle bats in this cave!"

"Rudy, calm down, stop acting like a little kid," Jack said impatiently. Rudy stomped his foot. "Let's just keep our eyes open and find that clue…it could be anywhere here." We started walking deeper inside the cave, with only the water droplets, our footsteps and our voices resounding throughout the cave. Rudy began discussing with Eric about his "acting chops" and if he by any chance knew any agents looking for amateur actors like him. I tuned out of that conversation, and turned to face Jack. His face looked a little too serious, as if we were searching something life-threatening. I almost laughed at the expression plastered on his face.

"Will you lighten up?" I said, smiling, nudging him playfully. I could make out an impish smile lazily stretched on his face. "We're not looking for a dead body, we're just looking for a little index card. And I think it's actually kind of fun, you know, being in a cave and all."

"Keep in mind that it's a cave in Hawaii, Kim." Jack said, facing me.

"Yeah, so?"

"So, in some of these caves, they plant booby traps. Sometimes they're even deadly." The thought of that made my heart skipping a beat, with a trembling breath.

"_Deadly_ traps?" I breathed shakily.

"Yeah…but don't worry, I'll protect you, like I always." He patted my shoulder in a teasing way, grinning. I rolled my eyes playfully.

"I can take care of myself, thank you very much." I said. He sighed, laughing a bit.

"And by the way…you didn't answer my question." I continued.

"What question?"

"What do you have against Travis?" I requisitioned. He sighed, a mood swing breaking on his face, going from a playful, cheery smile to a serious, disappointed frown.

"I told you already…I just don't trust him. There's something going on in that…frizzy-haired, freakishly tall, yellow-toothed—"

"Hey, don't be mean!" I smacked him. "And you say _I'm _the one that needs to take a chill pill. Travis is a good guy."

"Hey, you don't always have the best decision-making skills when it came to choosing guys." Jack said, grumbling a bit.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I said, my voice growing a bit harsher. "Name one—"

"Oh, pssh, I don't know…that Ricky Weaver Jerk…oh and let's not forget my favorite…Brody!"

"Well, what about you? I mean there was…"

Wait…

What _about_ him?

A sudden thought occurred to my head, something that I frankly haven't realized before, seemed really redundant.

The Jack Anderson never went out with a girl yet.

Ever.

"Exactly…" Jack said a little impatiently. I faced him with a blank expression on my face, and before I could open my mouth to say something, I heard Rudy's loud, childish voice.

"GUYS! Check this out!" Rudy yelled. We snapped out of our little debate, and stared at what Rudy was pointing to. And we couldn't believe our eyes.

Three paths.

That's what was molded in front of us.

The typical single-route for the cave seemed to have divided into three smaller pathways, all leading into nothing but darkness. I exhaled deeply and helplessly, as now this has just made the situation even harder. Eric started walking closer to the one of the pathways, obviously to catch his precious footage, when I stopped him.

"Unless you want to end up being a decomposed Eric, I suggest you back away." With that, Eric quickly trudged his feet back, in utter fear.

"So…which path do we take?" Jack asked. "It could be any three of these."

I sighed helplessly, with a look of pure anxiety washed on my face. I honestly didn't know what to do. Okay, the clue did _not _mention this. How are we supposed to figure out which path to take? If we took the wrong one, then according to Jack, we'd basically be walking to hell.

Suddenly a voice broke through my head.

_If you want to find the clue and not die, _

_Go to the one that's in front of your eyes. _

"Jack, did you say something?" I asked quickly. Jack gave me a bemused look.

"No, I didn't say anything." Jack said, looking at me like I was insane. "Are you okay?"

My fingers started to grow numb, with goosebumps popping out of my skin. My pallid skin tone paled, and trembling breaths quivered out of me. My distended eyes were filled with fear.

Who was that?

Was this a prank?

Was it my conscious speaking?

Or was it...

_If you want to find the clue and not die, _

_Go to the one that's in front of your eyes. _

There it was again.

_In front of my eyes…_

I stared at the middle path that headed to pure darkness. The tone that came out of the pathway was silence. But this kind of silence was not peaceful or calm. It was paranormal. It was almost…ghostlike. Just like the voices.

"Guys…I think it's this one." I said, daintily pointing a wobbly finger at the uncanny path. Yet again, they all gave me those "are you insane?" looks.

"But how do you know that—" Rudy began.

"Trust me," I said firmly. "It's this one. I'm positive."

"Kim, you're not just trying to kill me off, are you?" Eric questioned suspiciously.

"As tempting as that sounds Eric, I'm not." I said my face dead serious. "Just trust me on this one. The third clue is in through that passageway. I can feel it."

"Kim, are you sure? Remember, if that's not the right one, then…" Jack's voice trailed off, not finishing his statement. He didn't need to finish anyway.

We all knew.

"Jack, please," I said, looking desperately looking into his eyes. I could infer that he could make out the utter fear mixed in with confidence that lingered in my brown eyes. "I know it's in there. You just need to trust me on this." Jack looked at me and sighed.

"What if something happens to you, or Rudy or…even Eric?" Jack asked.

"That's a risk we're going to have to take," I said, with a subtle whimper coming out of my voice. He sighed, and nodded in agreement.

"Oh, this is some good chemistry here…" I heard Eric's giddy whispering. I tore my eyes away from Jack, and gave Eric an icy glare, through the stupid video camera he was holding. He backed away and with a perplexed and apprehensive Rudy, started scurrying off towards the Middle Trail of Obscurity. With Jack standing in front of me, we both started inching our feet hesitantly towards the pathway. While I tried to mask on a confident look for Jack, portraying that I was positive on this being the correct path, I knew it was pointless. Questions kept popping up in my head, making the anxiety grow stronger and stronger.

Was it right to believe a third-party voice that suddenly appeared in my head?

Was it right to take this path?

Was it right to leave Milton, Jerry and Eddie alone?

And most of all:

Was it right to put my friends, including myself, at risk?

* * *

><p><span>JERRY<span>

_God, please tell him to shut up. _

I saw Kahili's big fat lips moving, as he continued rambling on about the Mysteries of Hawaii. Milton stared at him in pure interest, obviously craving to hear more information that he didn't already know. However, I'm assuming that he pretty much knew everything there is to know, considering he jumped in to add more his facts in every chance he got. Eddie gave me a weak, annoyed moan, stomping in place like a little kid.

"What is it, you big baby?" I smirked.

"I'm_ hungry_!" Eddie whined, as if a toddler was complaining. I rolled my eyes.

"It's only been a half hour since the tour started. And you ate a big breakfast before coming here." I said, almost laughing.

"Exactly!" Eddie said. I turned to Kahili as he seemed to be in a deep, nerd-talk with Milton.

"Hey Kahili, my brotha," I attempted to put my hand over his shoulder in a friendly way, but he was too tall. He stared down at me, giving me a strange look.

_Awkward. _

"Uh, you think you could hook us up something to eat? We're all getting kinda hungry." Yet here, I glared at Eddie, who gave us a sheepish grin and wave.

"Well, we won't be able to find some real food for miles." Kahili said. "There's a food court at Pearl Harbor."

"And how long until we get to Pearl Harbor?" Milton asked.

"Well, if Eddie keeps walking like a slug, then I'd say about 20-30 minutes." Kahili said. We stared at our young-looking tour guide, our jaws dropped, and our eyes the size of dinner plates (see what I did there)?

"What?" We all screamed. However, I could hear Eddie's low, cranky voice the highest.

"We're all CURSED I'm telling you!" Eddie wailed, burying his face in his hands helplessly. I awkwardly patted his back in a friendly manner, unsure of what to do.

"Cursed?" Kahili questioned. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Oh, see these two toads—" Milton gave Eddie and me a nasty glare. "—stupidly got a volcano rock from a stranger, and turns out there's this legend about this Hawaiian goddess named Madame Pele who curses anyone who has it in their possession."

"You guys actually _believe _in that rubbish?" Kahili said, laughing so hard, he was about to fall to the muddy, rocky ground.

"Uh, yeah, this massage therapist told us. _Ailani_." Eddie stared into space, his mouth open, spreading into a wide smile. I knew he was picturing of Ailani, which brought the green monster out of me.

"Hey, back off, she's mine!" I protested.

"Ailani?" Kahili's faced suddenly brightened up. "Oh, I know her! She's a good friend of mine. You know she's just playing tricks with you, right?"

"Excuse me?" Milton breathed, his eye twitching.

"Ailani is the master of pranking." Kahili said still laughing. "She only made that story so you guys could get out of her spa. That meant she either didn't like you, or just didn't feel like doing a massage."

"Wow." I said simply, that being my only reaction. "Small world."

"Hang on," Eddie stepped in. "So, Ailani made up a story just so she didn't have to give us a Lomilomi massage?"

"Oh the legend is real." Kahili said. "It's just rubbish. Those legends are just used to scare people."

"But Jerry…he got….he got hit with a freaking coconut!" Milton said, pointing at me.

"Sheer coincidence." Kahili said.

"Whoa." Milton and Eddie breathed. "We acted like idiots for nothing."

"And besides…" Kahili said, looking confused. "Where's your rock now? I'd like to see it."

"Oh, I threw at by the cave." I said. "Here, I'll go run back and get it…it's not that far away. Just wait here, and continue your nerd-fest." And with a wave, I sprinted back a few minutes, finally noticing the cave that Jack, Kim, Eric and Rudy were still in. I took a deep sigh, staring longingly at the cave. How I wish I could've gone through caves, searching for clues, and seeing Jack and Kim's chemistry grow. How I wish I could've seen Jack and Kim kickin' butt.

But no.

I was Jerry Martinez.

_Just _Jerry Martinez.

I tore my eyes away from the tempting looking cave, and resumed to my own little hunt for the not-so-cursed-anymore volcano rock. I can't believe Ailani would play us like that, just for her own selfish reasons.

She's _so _playing hard-to-get.

I crouched down, scanning my eyes through the bushes at the bottom, unaware of the fact that my knees were sitting in mud. After some shuffling through bushes, I managed to finally find the rock, cool and lifeless, bland and uncursed. I stretched my arms and grabbed it quickly from the bushes, cheering quietly.

_Time to show Kahili. _

But before I could get up, I noticed a pair of shoes right next to my face.

And the shoes didn't look _anything _like the flip-flops Milton, Eddie or Kahili wore.

These were sneakers.

Still not getting up from the mud, I jerked my head up to reveal someone that looked awfully familiar. His piercing icy blue orbs were angrily staring at me, with his beach-blonde hair swept evenly across his head. He had on an evil sneer, which caused me to get up instantly, with the rock in my hands. There were four guys standing behind him, with arms crossed across their chests and smirks played on their lips. I held the rock tight against my chest, so he had no chance of taking it.

But I _know _this guy. He looks familiar.

Who is he?

Starts with a—

"Hey bro," The guy said, patting my back. "You from the Bobby Wasabi Dojo I'm assuming?"

"Yeah…" I said suspiciously. "How did you know?"

"Lucky guess. So, you know where the clue is hidden, right? If you don't, we'd be happy to tell you." The boy's smile stretched even wider.

"Hey, you don't need to tell me, I already know where the clue is!" I said triumphantly.

"You could be wrong, you know."

"No, because Kim figured out, and Kim's a smart cookie."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Then what did Kim figure out?"

"That the third clue is hidden in this very cave!" I screamed at this point. For a second, I felt very proud of myself for standing up to this bottle-blond jerk, even though I _still _don't know who he is. But then I realized something. And when looking at their amused, sinister facial expressions, I knew that I might have just made the most horrible, stupidest mistake in my life.

These people are from The Hunt.

And I just gave them the answer to third clue.

The Blondie patted my back once more. "Thanks broseph. That's all we needed to hear. Let's go guys." And with that they trotted off to the cave, laughing like maniacs. Traumatized, I started heading off towards the guys, my mind spinning in all directions, my heart thumping rapidly, and the hairs on my skin standing up. How could I have done that?

Jerry Martinez, what have you done?

All these thoughts started angrily whirling around in my head, wondering how I was going to break it to the rest…

When I felt a hard hand collapse on my shoulder.

"Oh, I forgot to mention." I heard a hoarse whisper. While I could make out specks of that beach-blonde hair, I didn't dare turn my head around. "The next time you see Jack and Kim…chances are you won't…tell them Drakie said Hi."

* * *

><p><span>KIM<span>

A dead end.

That was our final result.

After fifteen minutes of walking, with our feet throbbing, and our foreheads covered in sweat, we now came face-to-face with an empty, but large circular chamber. The room was dark, yet I could still interpret that there was nothing in the room. Nothing at all. The chamber was eerie and quiet, adding more distress to myself. I could feel three pairs of eyes staring at me in utter hatred. I gave them a sheepish grin, but on the inside felt extremely guilty.

Fifteen minutes of walking.

All for nothing.

"_Trust me on this one, I know it's in here. I can feel it!_" Rudy said, mimicking my words in a high pitch girly tone. My jaw dropped open, appalled by such a rude insult.

"I don't talk like that!" I protested. "And I really thought it was in here. I'm sorry, but you don't need to mock me like some little kid!" My voice started to crack slightly, with hurt oozing out of every word. I almost felt like crying, that I've let everybody down. I felt a comforting hand rest on my shoulder. I looked up to see Jack, giving me a sympathetic smile. I smiled back, somewhat in relief. At least _he _wasn't mad at me.

"Rudy, stop acting immature!" Jack said. "It's not her fault. I mean, if it wasn't for her, we wouldn't even be in this cave!"

"Then this must be the wrong cave!" Eric countered. The room fell silent, and it just caused my heart to sink on the inside. I felt like the wall of the room was squishing on me, like there's no way out. Everything had fallen apart.

There was no way we'd get the clue now.

"I'm sorry guys." I murmured. All silent, we turned on the subtle heels of our shoes, and started walking out in utter dismay.

When we started hear the crackling sound of fire humming from behind us.

We spun our heads around to see a number of torches that were hung up all over the perimeter of the circle, suddenly fired up. At the far end of the large area, I could see a large wood carving of a large, angry looking man.

A Tiki.

"Whoa." We all breathed in unison.

"This cave is enchanted. This is going to be HUGE!" Eric said. I turned my head to Rudy.

"Looks like _someone _owes me an apology." I said, twisting my head for emphasis at Rudy.

"Whoa calm down there, missy." Rudy said. "Where's the clue? I don't see any index card. So you failed!"

"Rudy!" Jack argued. "Seriously, chill! Why don't you go into the Tiki's mouth and search it for yourself?"

"Wait…" I said. I turned to Jack, giving him a wide grin. "Jack, that's brilliant! The clue must be hidden behind the Tiki!" I rushed over to the other end of the room, coming to face-to-face with a wooden version of a human. I wrapped my hands around the finely-chopped wood and with my surplus of strength, pushed the Tiki in the opposite direction. I could now clearly see what looked like a little storage unit planted on the wall. I faced the guys and gave them a smile.

"The clue must be in here!" I exclaimed giddily. I reached the handle of the safe, and it was locked. "Now help me—"

I didn't finish my sentence.

Suddenly, the cave started to rumble as if an earthquake was taking place. The cave shook like a frantic Chihuahua, which caused us all to scream. Rocks started collapsing to the floor, and I could see cracks forming on the ground. Everybody started losing balance, tumbling this way and that. Eric struggled make catch footage of the "earthquake" scene, but as the cave shook harder, and harder he didn't seem he could hold onto to the camera much longer.

It all erupted in chaos.

"What's happening?" I screamed. I locked eyes with Jack's frantic eyes, as he attempted to hold on to the wall for support.

"KIM, WHAT DID YOU DO?" Rudy screamed. I could hear a ghostly, deafening screech resonate throughout the cave, causing stress to my ears.

"_You silly fool, _

_There's nothing for you here. _

_Prepare for ultimate doom_

_Underneath our tomb is the tool!" _

"WHO SAID THAT?" I screamed, struggling to hold on to the Tiki to prevent myself from falling. I heard a strident rumble coming from the ground, the noise of the cracks making its way to my innocent ears. I looked down, and noticed deep cuts and wounds forming on the ground. The scars multiplied rapidly throughout the area at which I was standing, the scars cutting so deep, I could see slits of darkness…

"What's going on…?" I said with tension arising in my voice.

"Kim!" I heard Jack's agitated voice from the other end of the room. He was toppling at the entrance of the room, looking at me, wide-eyed. "Get out of there now! I think the floor is—"

Jack didn't need to finish what he had to say. For I found out the completion of it myself.

The slits of darkness grew into slightly larger gaps of darkness.

In a matter of seconds, it grew into a large hole of obscurity.

Soon enough, I found myself standing in midair.

However, Gravity caught up with me fast.

And I found myself falling.

Falling.

To what seemed like a bottomless pit.

"_KIM!" _

"_AAAAAHH!"_

* * *

><p><strong>AN- OH. MY. FREAKING. GOD! NO, Kim fell into a hole! Curse the spirits of Hawaii that lurk in those caves! Will Kim survive the trap? Is it really **_**bottomless**_**? Or will Jack have come to the rescue once more, risking his life? And time is running out. If they don't go back to the tour sooner, Milton, Jerry and Eddie will have to make a huge choice. Rat out their friends for their lives, or say nothing. The biggest question of all: Will. They. Find. The. Clue? **

**The stakes are high, the cliffy is huge, which means my work for this chappie is complete! Haha, Review my lovelies! Thank you so much for reading! And see, I made it shorter for you guys! :)**

**Peace and love, **

**~Taylor :)**


	8. Serendipity or Misfortune?

**A/N-Hey guys! I'm back with the 8****th**** chapter of The Hunt! Don't worry, if you guys think this story is wrapping up…this is just the beginning! I can't believe I'm ALMOST up to 100 REVIEWS! That's incredible! Thank you to everybody who've been reading this story, or any story of mine! You have no idea how much this means to me! Thank you! So, anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter…let's see if they find their clue, and if Kim makes it out of there alive! O.o **

**Enjoy the chapter! :)**

* * *

><p><span>KIM<span>

_Am I alive? _

_Am I dead?_

_I think I'm dead. _

_Wait, then how can I hear myself? _

_Wait…_

I struggled to lift my eyelids open, the sting from the pain of my arms and legs slowly escalating higher and higher. My right hand started stinging drastically, as if an elephant just stepped on it. For a few seconds, it was like the gears in my mind had stopped, like my eyes had lost sight, like my ears had lost its hearing ability. Flashes of visions flew past my eyes, so quickly I couldn't keep track. My head throbbed painfully and it felt as if the ground was rocking underneath my feet. In other words, I was pretty much predicted to be a vegetable lying there lifelessly. I could feel myself lying on something sticky and gruesome, as if it was mud. I lifted my battered arms to my face, feeling something adhesive covered on it. I took deep, sharp breaths still unsure whether I was dead or not.

Slowly, the gears in my mind slowly started to whir back to life, the visions slowly started regulating, and my ears started to regain its normal hearing ability. I sighed in relief, and when looking around, it was like I was in some sort of concealed chamber. I could see a downcast light lazily shining from above, creating a subdued effect to the room. My eyes caught their attention to the passive light.

_Please tell me the light isn't what I think it is. _

And that's where I heard the frantic screams faintly calling my name.

"Kim! Kim! Are you there? Please, _please _don't be dead!" I heard a familiar, somewhat deep voice whom I assumed was _hopefully _a boy. Fear and anxiety flooded through his words, with a slight shake as if he was close to breaking down and crying. I knew that voice. With the components malfunctioning in my head, it was hard to decipher who the voice was.

"She has to be dead! It's been ten minutes!" I heard another familiar voice, which seemed to have a heavy foreign accent. Something in my mind was telling me that I was supposed to despise this guy.

"Come on, _please _let me get in the hole and get her! She has to be down there, I need to save her!" The first frantic voice said once more. I think his name starts with a J—

"Shut up, Eric! She's not dead! And I simply _cannot_ let you go down there! That would be risking your life too. The hole's awfully deep!" Rudy said.

"I don't care if that damn trap is even bottomless, I need—"

Wait!

_Rudy! I recognized his voice! I remember him!_

_He's my sensei. _

_Then the first guy was…_

"JACK? I'm here!" I screamed in a high pitch. Suddenly, the gears in my head suddenly whirred back to life, the visions of my life blurring into a huge swirling mass.

_Now _I remember everything.

"Kim?" I heard _Jack's_ relieved voice. "Kim! You're okay! She's alive!" I jerked my head up, now being able to see distinct figures of Jack, Rudy and Eric. I could hear them faintly cheering, and I started to smile a bit.

"You have NO idea how worried we've been!" I heard Rudy scream. I looked around, my vision fully clear…

"_Girl…turn around…something big awaits…"_

I heard a ghostly voice creeping from behind me.

_What was that? _

_How can I hear Hawaiian ghosts?_

_That's damn creepy. _

With a slight gasp, I hastily darted my head to the far end of the underground cell, my mouth slightly agape at what I saw from a distance.

A box.

And a scroll.

Sitting longingly on a large wooden table.

I tentatively walked towards the wooden table, picking up the ancient-looking rolled-up papyrus. I unraveled the flimsy paper in bewilderment, wondering what this scroll was, and read the words that were so richly engraved.

And when reading it, a wide, excited smile curved upon my face.

"_Now you've endured the curses Hawaii gives _

_With spirits lurking and haunting you as you live_

_With landing in our trap, you have found the one-of-a-kind entity_

_That will help you unravel this ambiguous mystery._

_Luckily, we've provided you with a slightly easier destination _

_With it requires skill, intelligence, and determination_

_To find the 4__th__ clue, you must look in a place_

_Where the wonders of the world awaits_

_You could paint this place, or admire the art_

_That's stored in this monument, built with a lot of heart_

_I know this is vague so I will give you a hint_

_It's out of the country, a place where love sprints." _

While I had no clue what it all meant, I started jumping up and down excitedly…of course, I had a limit as my whole body was still aching in pain, yet the happiness masked it all.

We finally found the 4th clue.

After the entire struggle.

The clue was here all along.

So this was no trap.

This meant that the…_thing _who was talking to me was right.

It was right here.

"GUYS!" I screamed, looking up at the hole. Their muffled conversations stopped and I could see them staring down at me. "I FOUND IT!"

"What? What did you find?" I heard Rudy ask curiously. "Perhaps something to drink?"

"Did you find something to get you out of the hole?" Jack called down to me.

"Did you find some food?" Eric asked. "I'm famished."

"No, no and…not unless you won't decomposed bones for lunch." I said, smirking. I could catch Eric rolling his eyes. "I FOUND THE CLUE!"

A chorused cheer erupted from above, with the slapping of palms, and the stomping of feet. I laughed as I held the ancient, frail paper in my hand. I grabbed the box in the other, with the great desire to open it and see what object lies inside.

But I know I couldn't.

Not yet, anyway.

What if it was fragile? What if I were to drop it? Or worse, leave it here? I remembered Bobby mentioning how if we were to collect objects as part of the scavenger hunt, that it would be one and _only _one.

I can't risk it.

With that, I tucked the little scroll into the box, not even glancing at what was stored in it.

How I wish I could've seen what was in it.

"And there's something else that goes with it!" I said gleefully, holding out the box so they could see it. "This must be an object that can help us find the sword!"

"Nice work, Kim!" Jack screamed.

"I wish I could've caught your expression when you first found that it was the clue…it would've been priceless!" Eric stomped his foot. I rolled my eyes, still looking up at them.

"If only we had a rope to drag you up or something." Jack said sadly.

"Or maybe even a big, extremely tall man." Eric said.

"Wait!" I heard Rudy exasperate, as if a light bulb just appeared in his head. My neck started to cramp as I kept looking up at the guys. "We do!"

"Uh Rudy, we love you and all, but…you're not tall." Jack admitted giving him a sympathetic look.

"You're the opposite!" Eric said, cracking up a bit.

"No, not that!" Rudy said. I could make out that he was pulling something out of his pocket…something thin, and extremely long…

"I totally forgot I packed a rope!" Rudy screamed. Jack and Eric's jaw dropped, as well as mine.

"RUDY!" We all screamed at him.

"Sorry! I forgot!" Rudy said helplessly. I rolled my eyes.

"Just toss the rope down! I hate being down here, it STINKS!" I screamed cringing my nose in disgust. Finally putting his camera down for once, Eric dropped the rope down with Jack and Rudy holding it tightly behind him. The rope dropped in front of my face, causing me to give an anxious gasp.

Let me tell you something about myself.

I _suck _at rope climbing.

"You guys know I can't climb ropes!" I whined, calling out to them. "And plus, my hand's not doing so well. It hurts really badly."

"You don't have to, we'll pull you up!" Jack screamed down. "But we need to get you out of here _now. _I think I heard someone coming."

I climbed onto the thin, coarse, prickly rope, with the box tightly wrapped around my fingers. I could feel myself lifting up, slowly drifting away from the muddy ground that caused me to get all dirty.

"God Kim, what have you been eating?" Eric complained in between deep and heavy breaths, as he struggled to lift me up back to the cave.

"Hey!" I said, taken aback.

"Eric!" Jack countered.

"Quit your complaining! We almost got her." Rudy said. I could see their faces clearer, battered with anxiety and dirt. I held onto the rope tighter, and before I knew it, I _finally _made my way up. As soon as I reached to the floor of the cave, I leapt into Jack and Rudy's arms in utter relief and pain, finally away from that dreadful rope. I never thought I would say this, but it felt _good _to be back in the cave, instead of an underground tomb.

"Boy am I glad to see you again. You had me worried sick!" Rudy said. I smiled half-heartedly. Jack grabbed me to his chest, squeezing me tightly. I wrapped my arms around his as tight as I could, my smile slightly growing with more meaning.

"Oh god, Kim Are you okay? Oh, I was so worried." Jack panted. "I was literally about to holistically break down."

"No…my whole body hurts." I complained. Jack pulled away and looked at me in slight sympathy. "Especially my hand. I think something hit it."

"Must have been the rocks." Eric said patting my back. "There were a few rocks toppling down when you fell."

"Haha…it's funny when he says 'toppling' in a British accent." Rudy said, chuckling to himself. I rolled my eyes.

"Anyway, even with my battered hands and legs, I managed to get_ this_." I held out the box here, and Rudy grabbed it from my hands, with that giddy smile plastered on his face.

"You found it!" Rudy said. "I'd high-five you, but your hand is messed up."

"Nice work, Kim!" Jack said, smiling at me. Rudy was about to flip open the decorative lid of the metallic box when I grabbed his hand.

"No don't!" I said, struggling to get back up. "We'll do it with the rest of the guys. At the hotel. We at least need to give them that much. They already couldn't go with us." I took the box from his hand, when a sudden pain erupted in mine. I placed the box on the floor, dropping to the ground, wincing as I clutched my arm in pain. Jack crouched down, examining my hand closely.

"Oh no, it's swelling up. That can't be good." Jack said, looking at it. I looked up, staring at his concentrated eyes as he scanned my hand. Sometimes, I wonder how this kid is so…_perfect _all the time. With his kind heart, his strong determination, his loyalty, his skill, his smartness, and his sense of humor…he's got it all.

How?

This question I may _never _get the answer to.

"We need to treat it right away. I say we get out of here _now_, find the guys, and get back to our hotel, and maybe try and solve the clue." Rudy said. With that, we started gathering our things and started to turn our heads towards the entrance…

"Not if we have something to do with it."

When we saw what was awaiting us in the narrow hallway of the cave.

Four boys took a step closer towards us…however there was one boy that we knew more than anyone. That perfect blond hair cascaded over his head, with a villainous glare and sneer to match. His sea blue eyes twinkled voraciously, with a hint of red playing here and there. I shoved the box slowly behind my back, giving him a cold-stone glare. All he did was remain in that evil, playful smirk.

"Ah, the little Jose Wasabi Warriors. Congrats on finding the secret tunnel, Kim. Even when it almost did cost your life." Drake said laughing.

"What do you want Drake?" Jack stepped in harshly.

"Just to express my congratulations to you guys." He said with sarcasm playing in his voice. "Don't worry, we've found the copy of our clue as well. We're on the same page as you guys on that."

Rudy gave him a perplexed look. "Then why are you—"

"It's just the case that we start to lose eachother." Drake said smirking. "So, I think you should just hand over the case to us."

"Okay first, we don't need your 'congratulations'." I said icily. "And second, you're not getting this chest as long as we live. And third…you know I'm not afraid of you, right?"

"Yeah, probably not." He chortled, and took a step closer towards me. Jack grabbed my hand and pushed me back. "But once we're done with _all _of you…well, the box discovery would just be a total waste of happiness."

"Like I said…" I tried to mask on the most confident smile I could. "I've seen clowns scarier-looking than you."

Drake's frown turned vicious by the second. "Say goodnight, Kimmy." He held out a hand, rapidly swinging at my face.

When Jack caught the fist.

"Nice try." Jack said, and with that swung his hand around, and kicked his stomach. Both the groups erupted in fights, with Jack and Rudy pushing me back, battling the fights on their own, throwing the best punches and kicks they possibly could. And with their advanced skills, they seemed to be doing fine with just taking down the first two guys. However, this caused my blood to boil…even Eric used his freaking camera to defend me.

Me.

Kim Crawford.

I'm here _to _defend.

Not to _be _defended by someone else.

I spun my head around, now coming face-to-face with the one and only Drake Evans. With a foul snarl, he spun a kick, and I ducked, throwing a feeble, but firm fist into his stomach. While he clutched his stomach in pain, I used the opportunity to aim a kick.

That's when I discovered it was all a trick.

With a vicious sneer, he caught my leg, and used it to push me hastily to the ground. I winced in pain, with angry, pained tears sprinkling down my eyes. I managed to aim my legs at him once again, but the kick came out so weak, a baby could have done it. I saw his spiteful face, and realized a dreadful fact.

I, Kim Crawford, had been defeated.

"You really thought you could beat me?" The boy said. "The Drake Evans? Please…you only defeated me once. No need to gain the overconfidence, sweetie. You may think you have your tough image…but in reality, all you are is a girl. A girl that holds a lot of secrets and fears." Drake's malevolent smile grew wider, and was about to aim his fist right to my stomach. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't fight back. The pain in my body grew unbearable. I thought I was done for.

I thought my _tough girl _image was done for.

When I see someone step in front of me.

Jack.

_Of course._

Jack kicked Drake to the ground, and with his advanced karate skills, flew in the air, kicking the two guys that charged for him at a time. Drake struggled to get back up, and attempted to aim a punch at the boy's face. He caught it, and with the immense strength he had, flipped him over harshly. I quickly attempted to rise back up to see four boys on the floor, unconscious. Jack faced me, wide-eyed and frantic, as he saw the expression on my face that was filled with pain. He crouched down close to me, and tried bringing me to his arms.

"You okay?" Jack asked me.

"I had that, you know." I replied, a bit harsher than expected. The glint of anger arose in his eyes.

"Kim, you don't _always _have to prove yourself the tough blonde. You're injured for crying out loud! Why would you do such a stupid thing?"

"Because she _is_ stupid." Rudy huffed, with a slight tease in his voice. I glared at him, giving him an annoyed frown.

"Look who's talking, Mr. Indiana Jones." I retorted, gesturing to his adventure get-up. He stomped his foot.

"Need I remind you it saved your life?" Eric exasperated, his camera lens zooming in on us. I rolled my eyes.

"You just made your situation worse." Jack said, gesturing to my immensely swollen hand.

The feeling of undefeat wasn't very fun.

"I'm sorry, but I just…I just felt bad for not being able to do anything. In case you don't know me, I don't like playing the role of damsel of distress." I said.

"We can talk about your redundant actions later. For now, let's get you back safely." Rudy and Eric gathered everything, beginning to walk out the hallway. Jack brought my feeble arms to his, as if he was pulling me into a hug, when really; he lifted me off the ground, and carried me. As embarrassed as I felt, I didn't argue with anything, because it was the truth… I'm injured. Both my arms grew numb, and my feet felt like jelly. After my attempt at a heroic deed, even with the slightest movement, the pain stings severely. So I decided to allow Jack to carry my limp, inert body all the way back to the hotel.

Although I couldn't help but turn into a furious shade of red.

I looked around, seeing the four malicious boys, eyes closed, their bodies resting on the ground, wincing a little in pain. Before you ask, _no _we didn't kill them…they're still remained breathing, yet KO'd for the fact that they had attempted to attack us yet again.

This time, even though they are the ones that lost, I felt like they had won.

For the first time, I, Kim Crawford couldn't defend myself.

I lost.

Rudy picked up the box and tucked it in his backpack. He sighed, brushing his hands off, as if he just completed a large hands-on task. Eric giddily stared at the priceless footage he captured, while I remained caught in Jack's arms like a lifeless vegetable.

I _hate_ this.

"Let's get the guys and get Kim back to the hotel as fast as possible." Jack said. "She's been banged up pretty bad. We'll get a doctor or something over there."

I sighed in anxiety. With my hands loosely wrapped around his neck for support, I looked up at him.

"Jack?"

"Yeah?"

I rested my head on his chest.

"Thanks. For everything."

"Anytime." I heard him mumble. Laughing a bit, I took a last glance at the San Francisco dojo members, as we started walking away—or in my case, carried away—from the audacious, daring Kaumana Cave. While we left these guys unconscious I saw something.

Something that coated ever so subtly on Drake's face.

A smile.

But not just any smile.

A villainous smile.

* * *

><p><span>JACK<span>

"Is Kim going to be okay?" Milton asked.

"She should be!" Jerry said. "Otherwise it was a waste of money!"

"Are we still cursed?" Eddie asked.

_I never understand their conversations. _

I paced back and forth in concern, right outside Ailani's Spa, in the nocturnal sky. The place was deserted, with all the people sleeping in bed, while we wait outside in the Hawaiian breeze, where we could see a pool next to us. It was me, Milton, Jerry and Eddie, waiting anxiously for Kim when she finishes with her therapy. Apparently, Ailani's giving her a…Lomilomi massage? According to Milton and Ailani, it's supposed to help heal her bones. As the clock ticked by, the apprehension started building more inside of me, worried about Kim. Is anything broken? Is she alright? Did the cave rocks cause permanent damage? My head throbbed painfully from all these frightening outcomes.

"Wait, I'm confused." Jerry started. "Why can't we go in?"

This caused me to turn into a furious shade of red.

"Uh, Jerry…" Milton said awkwardly. "We can't see Kim when she's in the middle of therapy."

"Yeah when Ailani's massaging her arms and legs and…" Eddie said his voice trailing off.

"I still don't get it." Jerry said, with that bemused look. I rolled my eyes.

"You can't see girls when they're in the middle of therapy, okay?" I burst out. "It's not…appropriate."

"But wait—"

"She's freaking naked, you idiot!" Milton screamed at Jerry. As soon as he said that, we all blushed into a deep red, especially me.

"_Oh._" Jerry said awkwardly. "Well…um…okay. Never mind."

"Do you guys think she's going to be alright?" I asked, deciding to change the subject as soon as possible. "It's almost been an hour. Rudy said if she's not out by eleven, we need to go back to our rooms."

"We still have ten minutes." Milton said, patting my arm reassuringly. "Relax, Jack. I'm sure she'll be fine. The Lomilomi massage was used in ancient times to help citizens with their injuries. It helps strengthen their bones, which is why I wanted to do it so desperately. Then of course, these clowns stir me into more trouble." He glared at Jerry and Eddie furiously.

"Hey, if you really want, you could always do it tomorrow…god!" Eddie exasperated.

"We're leaving tomorrow!" Milton countered.

"Aw…tough nubs." Jerry said. Milton rolled his eyes.

"So, how was the tour?" I asked them.

"God, that Kahili dude was _rude _yo!" Jerry said. "He wouldn't even let us have a bathroom break! He just wanted to finish the tour, which I didn't pay any attention to."

"Yeah, when you guys were more than a half-hour late, we were about to tell Kahili, but we knew it would be pointless." Eddie said. "That guy's scared of spiders." I laughed a bit.

"I loved the tour, because _I _paid attention." Milton said triumphantly. "You'll never believe what he told me, Jack! He said that long ago—"

"Jack?" I heard a female voice. Almost relieved Milton was cut off from an hour-rambling story, I spun my head around, seeing Ailani with a serene look on her face. Her dark brown orbs were glimmering in relief, and a smile spread across her thin lips. God, she was pretty. Of course, I didn't show any sign of affection…not with Jerry hopelessly in _love _with her.

"Ailani!' I said, relieved to see her gorgeous face. "How is she? Is she okay?"

"Did you fix her?" Eddie asked.

"Can we go in?" Milton asked.

"She's all dressed, right?" Jerry asked, once again erupting in a sea of red.

"I am happy to say Kim responded very well to the treatment. Her hand is all fixed, but luckily there were not any broken bones to start with."

"But, then why was her hand all swollen up?" I asked.

"It was a really bad sprain, which is why the Lomilomi was able to treat it. If it was broken, she would have had to go to the hospital." Ailani said. "Anyway, she is all good now, so all she needs is a little more time in bed, and she will be good to go when you leave tomorrow evening."

I sighed in pure utter relief. "Thank you so much, Ailani. It really means a lot."

"No problem. Glad to help. At least she was not carrying any cursed rocks." She eyed Milton, Jerry, and Eddie laughing in a teasing way. "I'm just going to run to my manager's office, he needs me for a moment. You guys may go in and see Kim now, if you wish. She's in the first room to your right."

"Thanks once again!" Milton, Jerry and Eddie called out as she left.

"Ah, gorgeous, smart, funny and a lifesaver…she's got it all." Jerry said, seeming to have been love-struck. I laughed, shaking my head in disbelief as we walked into the spa. We entered into the room, seeing a tired looking Kim, lying in bed, fiddling with her cellphone. When we all walked in, she jerked her head up giving us a weary, relieved smile. The dirt had been washed away from her face, her clean, honey blonde hair, falling majestically over her shoulders. She seemed a lot fresher than when we were at the cave.

"Hi guys." She said, smiling at us.

"You feel any better?" Milton asked. "We were all worried sick."

"It was mostly Jack that was freaking out." Jerry said, laughing in a teasing way. I blushed.

"We all were." I defended. "I'm glad to see you're okay." She smiled.

"Well, I do feel a lot better after the treatment. Back at the cave, it was like my whole body was replaced with jelly." She laughed.

"It's good you're feeling all better. Now we can _finally_ take a look at that clue! I've been dying to know what it is!" Eddie said impatiently.

"You promise you didn't look at it already?" Jerry asked.

"Yes, I promise!" Kim said a bit impatiently. "We knew how upset you guys were about not joining us, so we decided that we all look in the chest together. I read the clue, but…I have no idea what it means. It's even harder than the last one."

"Is that even possible?" Jerry asked, looking a bit worried.

"Yes Jerry that's possible…although for your sake, I hope it's not." Milton said, smiling. Kim looked at me.

"Wait…did you wait for an entire hour just to see me?" She asked.

"Well yeah…I'd never leave you alone." I said, smiling back at her.

"Thanks. It means a lot you'd wait a whole hour just for me." She said smiling. We caught each other's eyes, unable to untangle from that, no matter how hard we tried.

"Well…boy is it getting late!" Jerry exasperated, stretching his arms melodramatically. "We better get to our hotel room and hit the sack unless we want Rudy to throw a hissy fit."

"Yeah… it's already past my bedtime, so if I don't sleep sooner, I'm gonna go bonkers!" Milton said, also theatrically.

"So, we're just gonna…you know…leave you two alone." Eddie said, giving Kim and me comical smiles. With that, they scurried off, leaving Kim and I alone. Taking no notice at their obvious hint to get me to make my 'move' on Kim (which isn't going to happen, by the way) I took a seat on the massage bed, and she just smiled, staring at her phone.

"Those guys are idiots." Kim said, laughing.

"You just realized?" I asked. She laughed.

"Hey, I just wanted to say I'm sorry…for you know, trying to prove myself tougher than usual, and fight those guys. Truth is I didn't have that fight at all."

"No really?" I teased, smiling.

"Shut up." She smiled. "I guess sometimes I'm just going to have accept the fact that it's okay to not fight my own fights, and to let you guys do the dirty work. Even if you do it terribly."

"Excuse me?" I said, raising a teasing eyebrow.

"Hey, I can fight better than you babies." She laughed. I shook my head in disbelief, as we both laughed together. A long pause broke out, as Kim continued to stare at her phone. She let out an anxious sigh.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing, Travis just called a couple of times. He heard what happened. And so did Grace." She said.

_Travis. Ugh. I think I'm going to puke. _

"Did you…answer?" I asked.

"No…I couldn't. Too busy in the massage." She said. For some reason a sense of relief flooded inside of me. "The funny thing is my parents never called."

"They probably just didn't know about it."

"Not just about this…I mean, throughout the entire trip. From when we left a week and a half ago." Kim said, looking down sadly. I couldn't believe it's already been a week and a half. "They never called, or texted…not once. I only get calls from my little sister Keeley, saying that she misses me."

"Your sister is too cute." I said, smiling, recollecting her 7-year-old sister. She resembled Kim, with that same honey-blonde hair, those shimmering eyes, and that beautiful, adorable smile. "And maybe they just haven't the time." I attempted, patting her shoulder comfortingly. She looked up with sad eyes.

"Um, I think she should _make_ time for their daughter, and talk to me at least once. All they've been worried about is their work. They don't even make to for Keeley. She's always stuck with my nanny. And all she does is make the poor little thing watch educational television." She cringed in disgust. "Plus my nanny's really creepy."

"Kim, I know it hurts but it's okay…you got us." I said. She continued to look down sadly at her phone, almost waiting for her parents call. Yet the phone remains silent. The kind silence that instead of being peaceful and soothing, was loud and hurtful. I inched a bit closer to her.

"I miss them." She said, almost coming out as a whimper. "I miss my little sister…and even though my parents don't care…I miss them."

"Hey…don't worry. You'll see your family soon." I said.

"Sometimes I wonder why I even signed up for this thing." Kim said, facing me.

"Come on don't say—"

"Look at me!" Her voice escalated a bit higher. "I'm in a massage bed! I just finished therapy! I went into a slimy cave, and fell into an underground cell, and got hit with rocks. We now have an archnemisis _besides _the Black Dragons. May I remind you I. Almost. Died." She stated.

"And yet, you're still having The Best Summer Ever, aren't you?" I asked her. She slumped in her pillow and sighed.

"I guess." She said. "But do _you_ think it's been, and I quote 'The Best Summer Ever'? I mean, come on, we haven't had the best of luck lately."

"Yes it actually has been The Best Summer Ever." I stated firmly, even closer to her face than before. "Because it's an experience I've never been through before. I get to travel around the world, and look for clues, ultimately finding a priceless artifact. While being on a reality show that's being broadcasted. Those are opportunities that are once-in-a-lifetime." She slumped further in her bed.

"Well, that's true, but…" Her voice trailed off.

"But more importantly," I added. "I have all my friends with me this summer. I have…I have… you." Our faces grew inches apart, once again. Her eyes were a calm bed of a rich brown. Her worried, pained expression deprived, and I could make out of a hint of a smile appear at the corner of her lips.

"I need to tell you something." She breathed.

"Yeah?" Her foreheads were close to touching.

"I—"

"KIM!"

We both jerked our heads up, now facing a panicked Rudy, whose red-as-tomato face calmed, his eyes regulating and his forehead no longer creating those worried lines.

"Oh, I'm sorry, was I interrupting something?" He asked innocently.

_Yes. _

I took a step away from Kim. "No!" We both screamed defensively.

_Yes. _

"I just came to check on you Kim! Ailani told me everything! I'm so glad you're okay!" He rushed over to Kim, and squeezed his arms around her. She smiled.

"Thanks for checking on me Rudy." She said. "Where have you been?"

"Oh, I was just watching the latest taping of the reality show." Rudy said. "Bobby forced me to. But I had to say, it was amazing! The show garnered over 1 million views! How insane is that?"

"Wow, really?" I said stunned. "So, we're famous now?"

"Looks like it!" Rudy said giddily. "Finally, my acting career takes off!"

"That's pretty cool. Did you get any calls yet Rudy?" She said teasingly.

"No not yet. But I will. I know I will." Rudy said. "And you know what's so weird? Our dojo has been the most favorite! Eric's getting a bonus, since our dojo's the most popular. Everyone's shipping you both star-crossed lovers now. Isn't that funny?"

We both blushed a furious shade of red.

"Yeah." I murmured. "Hilarious."

But it wasn't hilarious it all.

It was awkward.

"Um, I'm just going to go run to the bathroom real quick." Kim said, seeming stunned. She started hastily walking out the door, leaving me and Rudy alone. Rudy gave me a ludicrous smile, as I stared at Kim walking away, with her golden locks flying over her shoulders…

"What?" I demanded, as he gave me a goofy stare-down.

"You like her, don't you?" Rudy asked in a teasing way.

"No I don't!" I said defensively. "We're just friends. Emphasis on the 'just' and the 'friends'. So, in other words…emphasis on the entire sentence!"

"Okay, whatever you say." Rudy laughed. I rolled my eyes. Hopefully he'll believe me.

Yet I felt like I was _lying _to Rudy.

Deep down.

_Way, way _deep down.

I think I'm falling for her.

I think…

I think I like Kim Crawford.

* * *

><p><span>KIM<span>

_Star-crossed lovers?_

_Who are we…Katniss and Peeta?_

I ran out into the lobby, panting heavily. The thought that Jack and I have now become a 'pairing', that people actually 'ship' us was frightening. As a matter of fact, the idea that over a million people have watched on us TV was scary. I looked around, and luckily there weren't any Milton, Jerry or Eddie lurking by, so _thankfully _no one knew about it but Jack, Rudy and I.

_Except the other million viewers who watched us and love us. _

I started recollecting the entire humiliating scene. Jack's sweet words…the fact that he was willing to stand outside for an hour just to me…the staring contest moment…_the interruption…_and lastly the _news. _Don't get me wrong, I was happy for Eric and his bonus…as much as I despised him for capturing forged footage of Jack and me, I felt he kind of deserved it for his hard work. I was about to trail off to the girl's bathroom, maybe even stay there for a while in utter embarrassment.

When I heard indistinct whispering echoing from outside the spa.

I tentatively inched closer to the quietness of the hotel campus, peering my head out the door. My heart raced, and my mind went crazy, wondering who it could be.

_Who was that? _

Silently shutting the door behind me, I tip-toed to the direction of where the muffled voice where coming from outside. Soon, they turned into audible speaking. I hid behind a corner, peering my head to see who it was. And when my eyes could finally make out who the people were, they enlarged madly.

Four boys. Battered and bruised. Yet, still managing to veil on an evil glare.

And the one that stood out of all of them.

Drake.

They stood beside Ailani's Spa, all scrunched in pain and defeat. My heart skipped a beat as I saw Drake's killer stare. Being as silent as possible, I continued to remain in the same position, my head scrutinizing around a corner, where they hopefully couldn't see me.

Hopefully.

"Alright guys listen up," I heard Drake's husky voice. "Now those idiots have the chest. We've been defeated once again."

"They're probably going to hide it so well, we'll never see it ever again." Another guy with auburn hair said.

"But what they don't know is the where the clue is hidden. We may not have that box, whatever it holds, but if we finish finding everything faster than those other losers, we'll win that ultimate prize, and we'll be known as the best dojo in all of America."

"But what if that chest holds something important?" A different boy with brunette hair asked.

"Oh, now not to worry…those brats haven't seen the last of us." Drake responded. "We can worry about the chest later…but since there's not another gathering until the fourth clue, we're good to go on our own will. But according to Bobby, five more groups got disqualified."

"Five?" The rest screamed in unison.

"Yeah, so it's just ten more groups now. But we're going to eliminate the San Jose dojo once and for all, when we go to Paris…more importantly the Eiffel Tower."

"Wait so the next clue is hidden in—"

"Yep. Paris, France. The Wonders of the World…The Eiffel Tower." Drake said evilly.

_Whoa. _

"We leave first thing tomorrow morning. Is that clear?"

"Yes boss." A chorused group of boys said blandly.

_Boss?_

"What if those stupid Jose losers beat us to it?" Another guy asked.

"They won't. Trust me. Their little girl especially gets on my nerves." Drake said. His eyes suddenly met mine, still smiling. I quickly tore my head away, resting it on the wall, panting a bit heavily.

_Did he know I was there? _

_No, no I'm probably hallucinating._

_If he knew I was there, he would've murdered me. _

"Let's go pack-up for our flight tomorrow." I heard Drake's voice. "We have to tell our useless, no-good sensei." And with that, I heard footsteps slowly fading away. I took deep, heavy breaths in anxiety, relief and a bit of happiness.

_A place where love sprints. _

_Wonders of the world. _

_Work of Art. _

_The Eiffel Tower._

_Paris, France. _

_Paris, France. _

The destination didn't stop repeating in my head.

I just eavesdropped.

And I just found out where the fourth clue is hidden.

I sighed excitedly, sprinting back to the Spa with a smile spread across my face.

Looks like we're going out of the country.

And not just for the clue.

For another thing.

Something I can't believe I'll be seeking for.

_Love. _

**A/N- Whoa! There you go! Hope you all liked the chapter! So, let's talk. Thankfully, Kim's alive, but did get into a bit of a rough start with her injuries and what not. And they have yet another encounter with Drake…except Kim can't fight! Yet she still tries, being the overconfident person she is. Oh Kimmy. Anyway, so as for the clue, yes it's in Paris! A couple of you guys voted for the poll on my profile page for where the fourth clue should be, but I got a lot of PM's saying to do it in Paris. And I figured it would be a good idea, with all the Kick and stuff. Spoiler alert: Special surprise to appear in Paris! **

**And yeah, as for the whole massage thing…don't take it in a perverted way, alright? Just for the comedy. And did you guys catch my Hunger Games reference? Loll, well the movie is out this weekend, and I'm DEFINETELY going to go see it! I'm a huge fan of the books! Looks like Jack and Kim might be star-crossed lovers after all. Kim is as tough as Katniss, and Peeta's as sweet and genuine as Jack…the perfect connection! Haha, so I think that's all I got. Oh, one more thing, the clue! They found an object as well this time! When the rest of the groups find out, they're going to be on the 'Hunt' for it (no pun intended). Will the Wasabi Warriors be able to guard it well? What's in that box anyway? Leave your thoughts by clicking the button below to REVIEW my lovelies! Thanks for reading! Let's see if we can get this story to 100 reviews! **

**Peace and love, **

**Taylor :)**


	9. Aloha Hawaii: Bonus Chapter

**A/N- Hey guys! This is Taylor, back again. Yeah, I'm back so quick. Now, let me explain how this chapter's going to work. I wanted to make them going to Paris start off in a seperate chapter, but I think you guys should know what was in the box that Kim got in the underground cell. So, consider this a bonus, really short, exclusive chapter about how they discover what's in the box, and them saying goodbye to Hawaii. DON'T WORRY, Milton, Jerry and Eddie WILL be a part of the clue hunting in Paris...I PROMISE YOU that! And I got some reviews, saying I was bringing the cliches back. I'm sorry for that, but it's just it's kind of hard to avoid them. I will try to avoid them as much as I can! **

**Anyway, this chapter is super short, so enjoy the bonus chapter! **

KIM

"_Kim…?"_

_Anngh…Is someone calling me? _

"_Kim…?" _

_Go away…trying to sleep here. _

"_KIM!" _

With the awful screeching of Jack's voice, I shot up from my bed, and stared at him with cold eyes. I rubbed my eyes, peeved that he woke me up from such a deep sleep. From the Cave Mayhem yesterday, I crashed right after the massage was over. Yes, I was _that_ tired. And of course, _he _of all people wakes me up from a pleasant slumber. "God Jack, I'M UP! Quit your cat-screeching!" I screamed. There was a smile appearing from the corner of his lips.

"Well, it's about time you woke up Miss Sleeping Beauty!" He teased. "I've been trying to wake you up for the past fifteen minutes. I was scared if I had to wake you with True Love's First Kiss." He laughed.

"Oh, so you're my true love now?" I challenged. His face reddened a bit.

"Well, I'm sure that would've woken you up anyway. You know…with you hopelessly in love with me and all." Jack said, taking a seat next to me on the bed. I gave him a playful shove.

"Yeah, get back to me after I hurt you." I said, laughing. I got out of the blankets, stretching my arms.

"So has the aching stopped?" He asked.

"Yeah…I feel much better after the Lomilomi massage. Ailani's a real miracle worker." I said, smiling a bit.

"Good." Jack said, in relief. "Well, it's nine o'clock, Rudy needs to know _now_ if we've figured out where the next clue is hidden, so he can book the tickets. I woke you up, you know to see if we could figure out the clue together. I called Milton, Jerry and Eddie they should be here in—"

"DID WE MISS ANYTHING?" The door busted open, revealing the three ditzy Wasabi Warriors, Milton, Jerry and Eddie. They had broad smiles coated on their faces, they're eyes dangerously wide. I almost laughed at their hasty entrance, and their enormous curiosity.

"Or they're here now." Jack said, laughing in disbelief.

"As soon as we got the call, we _rushed _to your room. We couldn't wait, yo!" Jerry yelled in excitement.

"I missed my daily morning yoga for this!" Milton said.

"Where is it, where is it, where _IS _it?" Eddie wailed.

I got up from my bed, putting a gripping arm to abate him. "Calm down before the other hotel members start to complain! Let me get the chest." I ran over to the nightstand, pulling the large, rectangular chest out of the drawer and put it on the table. We all huddled around it in marvel, just aching to flip the decorative lid open. The lid of the box was oh so intricately carved in design. A silver coating plastered onto the lid, with a red snake-like pattern bordering the perimeter of the top. The words "Bobby Wasabi: The Hunt Clue #3" engraved on the surface. It looked so richly adorned, with the metallic architecture I didn't want to touch it.

Yet there was another word that was inscripted on the box.

A word I couldn't quite decipher.

And a word that's now starting to honestly annoy me.

"**危机****"**

"What does this freaking word mean?" Jack shouted. I shrugged.

"Let's just focus on the clue. And I have better news." I said, pulling the rolled-up scroll from the box, still not seeing what's inside. "I know where it is."

"YOU DO? HOW?" They all screamed. I almost laughed, stepping away from _some _of their stinky breaths (_cough, cough Jerry and Eddie_).

"Let's just say I found out from another source." I said, showing them the clue. Milton grabbed the scroll out of my hands. The gang huddled around the clue, darting their eyes left to right. As soon as Jack finished reading the clue, he tore his eyes away from the papers, facing me with a bemused look.

"Wait…who's the other source?" Jack asked skeptically.

"I overheard Drake talking with his cohorts last night by the spa. The next clue is in Paris."

"PARIS?" The three heads shot up, facing me with gleaming eyes.

"No way!" Eddie said. He high-fived Jerry.

"Wait…Paris, France or Paris, Texas?" Jerry asked in confusion.

"Paris, France." I said, smiling a bit. "As in out of the country! The Eiffel Tower!"

"Awwh yeah, we're going to Paris!" Eddie cheered gleefully. "With all the food we could possibly relish!"

"And the hot French babes!" Jerry said. "And I thought Hawaii was paradise!"

"Wait, what happened to Ailani?" Jack asked, smiling.

"She's playing _way _too hard to get, man!" Jerry said. "I don't dig those girls."

"Forget the French girls!" Milton said, his mouth ajar. "Think of all the architectural monuments that are stored in the beauty of Paris! The Eiffel Tower, Le Arc de Triomphe, The Louvre Museum, the Cathedrals, even the Catacombs! It's going to be an invigorating experience! And I even get to practice my own French! This is the best trip ever!"

"Do you even know French?" Eddie said chuckling in in incredulity.

"_Oui, plus que vous saurez jamais anglais, stupide!"_ Milton cursed. Eddie stared at him blankly.

"I'm going to take that as a yes." Eddie mumbled, backing away from Milton. I rolled my eyes playfully.

"So, can you guys go tell Rudy about the next clue? Jack and I will finish packing up, and find a good place to hide this thing."

"Oh, I see…some alone time." Jerry said, raising his eyebrows. "Totally understand." I smacked him.

"Just go tell him, you idiot!" Jack said. He rolled his eyes.

"Wait, where is Rudy?" Milton asked.

"He's with Bobby, discussing the travel plans and the remaining standings of the groups. They're also working out the reality show taping and stuff with Eric." Jack answered.

"Alright, we'll go tell him." Eddie said lazily.

"Make sure you keep it quiet when you tell him!" I said. With a dismissive wave, they trudged out of the room, leaving me and Jack alone.

_Just what I wanted. _

I grabbed his hand, and led him to his room. I shut the door, and closed the curtains, and placed the chest on the center table. He looked at me with a perplexed look.

"What are you doing?" Jack asked skeptically.

I sighed. "Look, we don't have much time. Before the guys come back up, we need to figure out what's in this chest."

"Well, then why did you—"

"I don't want Jerry and Eddie near whatever the object is, okay?" I admitted. "And I shut the door because I didn't want anyone spying or eavesdropping on us."

"OH good…" He said, in slight relief…and a little…disappointment? "I thought you wanted some…you know…alone time with me." He teased, and adjusted his collar cockily. I smacked his collar playfully.

"In your dreams." I said, smiling. We both knelt down to the table, until we were at eye level with the chest. Still closed. Still so secretive. I gingerly flipped the lid of the chest open, exposing something that caused Jack and I to gasp.

Yes.

Gasp.

For on top of a red-velvet cushion, sat an object. A blood-red scabbard—or sword holder—rested in the box.

It was what was inscripted on top of the leather that made us both pant.

Jack warily took the scabbard out of the box, and held it in a more brighter light, so we could make out the words that were inscripted on it. I could see the tiny words engraved across the length of the sword, which made Jack turn the sword horizontally.

"Whoa." I both breathed. "Is this—"

"The scabbard for the Miao Dao?" Jack finished. "Looks like it."

"Read what it says on it."

"_To the Wasabi Warriors. If you are reading this, it means you have found the scabbard for the Miao Dao Sword. I warn you. Hide it. Keep it safe. Things are about to go beyond you've ever imagined. You are not far. You are not close. But you are about to embark into the next dangerous step of this Hunt. Remember: this is only the beginning."_

Chills sprinted up my spine, as I exchanged looks with Jack, quickly putting the scabbard back into the chest, and stuffing it in my luggage.

So many words.

All fit into a 30 inch scabbard.

Yet every single word haunted me.

A permanent mindset.

_Remember:_

_This is only the beginning. _

* * *

><p>"Alright, check if you have everything with you and use the bathroom if you need to, because we are not stopping in the middle! That goes out specifically to Milton!" Rudy glared at Milton, as we trudged our luggage to the rental van. We were standing outside the resort for the last time, with the same lazy trees and content crowd prancing by. It was a little into the afternoon, our flights had been booked, and we were now setting off to Paris, a city of many wonders. I unzipped my suitcase a little, checking to see…<p>

_Good, it's still there. _

"Hey, it's not my fault I got the bladder of a squirrel!" Milton complained. His face immediately grew urgent. "Excuse me…" And he scampered into the boy's bathroom once more.

"You know, I'm really going to miss this place." Jack said. "I mean, besides the fact we almost died in a cave, it was still fun to actually be in Hawaii."

I laughed a bit. "I guess. I can't wait for Paris, though."

"I know! All the food!" Eddie chimed in. He tapped Rudy on the shoulder. "Rudy, make sure that we stopped at _Chez Chartier_…it's supposed to be one of the best restaurants in all of Paris!" I rolled my eyes playfully.

"I know I heard too!" Rudy said happily. "Coq au Vin, here we come!" And high-fived Eddie. A skinny-looking manager walked up towards us, with the nametag "James Westfall" pinned on his suit. He shook hands with Rudy, seeming to be matching his height.

"I hope you enjoyed your stay here!" The manager said cheerily. I took a good look at him.

_James Westfall. _

_Wait…_

I pulled Jack aside, away from James. "Jack…does this guy's name seem…familiar to you?"

"That's the guy who caught us swimming by the pool and interrupted…" His voice trailed off, as his face grew red. "Never mind."

"But, it doesn't look like him when he saw him at the pool." I said in pure suspicion. "That guy was tall, and muscular…this guy looks like…"

"A whimp." Jack finished. I nodded. "That _is _weird. Now that you mention it, he _does_ look different…"

"Do you think that maybe…?"

"Oh!" Jerry perked, snapping us away from our thoughts. His eyes were fixed with a young woman wearing a floral dress, with her black, silky hair cascaded over her shoulders. "Ailani!" He called her. With that same amiable smile, she walked towards us.

"Oh, you guys are leaving? I am going to miss you all!" Ailani said, giving me a small hug.

"I'm going to miss you too!" I said. "I just want to say thank you once again, for curing me and taking the time with the therapy…it really saved me."

"No problem." She said. She gave Jack and Eddie a small hug. "I hope to see you all soon! You guys stay out of trouble, okay?" Ailani said, her chocolate eyes making its way towards Jerry.

"Where's my hug?" Jerry asked goofily. "I'm leaving too, you know?" She rolled her eyes playfully.

"Good-bye Jerry. I will miss you most of all!" She giggled, planting a playful peck on his cheek. Jerry blushed hardly, still attempting to mask on that bad-boy look.

"Pssh…yeah…uh…hot…pretty…" Jerry said, with those big fluffy eyes. I pushed him towards the van.

"Consider it luck." I laughed, as he reluctantly sat in the van, still staring at Ailani as she sauntered off. Milton ran back with a relieved look on his face.

"Alright, so everyone have their things with them? No one left anything?" Rudy gave Jack and I look. We shook our heads, as did everyone else.

"I think we're all good Rudy." Jack said, smiling.

"Okay then!" Rudy said, spreading a wide smile across his face. "Let's get our French on!" He started doing a little dance, stepping into the van. The other guys stepped in excitedly, while me and Jack stepped on last. I took a last glance towards the resort, and spread a smile.

I was going to miss this place.

Paris, here we come.

**A/N- And the gang is OFF to PAR-EE! Yay! Hope you enjoyed the bonus chapter! Yeah, suspisions rise! Let me know what you think about everything! Let's start off with the clue. OMG, they found the scabbard! Well, they need to keep it well-hidden...maybe that's why Bobby didn't call for another Gathering. Who knows what groups will steal it? Maybe Drake's group? Grace's? Maybe even Travis's? By the way, expect some appearances from them in Paris. I've been meaning for them to make more important appearences, but I didn't know how to fit it in. So, expect some appearences from them! Yeah, and if this is too cliche for you...sorry. I kind of made this chappie fast. **

**WHICH brings me to next point. I'm going to be raking a little short hiatus from this story. The main reason is because, I have Spring Break next week, and in 2-3 weeks, I'm going to be taking some state tests. They're really important tests that judge our placement for...pretty much everything. SO, I'm going to have study which I means, I'm not going to have time for this. I'll try and update towards the end of April. That's when my state tests are over. So yeah, sorry about that! But I hope you liked this chapter! **

**REVIEW, my lovelies! And thank you all for 111 REVIEWS! EEP! I'm so happy about it! Thank you all so much for reviewing! I love you guys! **

**Expect the unexpected for Paris! That's all I'm going to say. **

**See you all later! Thank you once again!**

**Peace and love, **

**~Taylor :)**


	10. Paris: The City of Surprises

**A/N- Hey guys! This is Taylor; finally back with my update on The Hunt. It's been a while, hasn't it? I'd say it's been a couple of weeks since I last updated. Anyway, a bunch of things happen in this chapter so be prepared to withstand their journey in Paris!**

**Enjoy the chapter! **

* * *

><p><span>KIM<span>

_Bienvenue a Paris! _

That's all I've been hearing ever since we got off the plane.

Well, here we are.

In the lovely, picturesque city of Paris.

From all the places I've visited in my lifetime, Paris is by far the most magnificent place I've ever seen. Just looking outside the view of our hotel room, is like a glimpse of something magical and astounding. The buildings that had existed for centuries still standing…the monuments I can catch a remarkable view of…the people strolling by…and how could I forget the sky? As it was still summer, the sun shone brightly across the nimble city, with the clouds cheerfully striding through the cornflower-blue sky. The best part of the view was that I could see the one and only Eiffel Tower, standing over everything like a bright star.

The Eiffel Tower.

Where the next clue is hidden.

As lunchtime was around the corner, we got freshened up from our ten-hour flight and made our way towards the streets of Paris, searching for an authentic restaurant that…well…would suit Eddie's fancy.

Many people joyously pranced by with a variety of different accents as the tourism here was immensely high. I could see people playing instruments liberally along the streets, with large smiles plastered on the audiences faces as they were serenated by the beautiful instruments. There were a number of old buildings lined up on the sidewalk. I could almost taste the fresh baguette as the toasty, warm smell made its way to my nose all the way from the cafes. And here and there, I could even see guys hugging and kissing their girlfriends.

Oh, right.

Paris is the city of love.

How could I forget?

I emit a look towards Jack, and he looks down on me, and smiles.

_Oh, Kim…let's face it. You're hopelessly in love with the boy. _

_Am not! _

_Whatever, but you're only lying to yourself. _

"Ah, it feelz good to be back in Par-ee!" Eric said in a deep French accent…which was weird when he mixed it in with British accent. Ever since Eric got promoted, he's been even more obsessed with his video camera than ever, which is the only downside of this trip.

"You've been here before?" I asked.

"Well, of course! When I was a little tot, my Mum took me to Paris a couple of times. That's when I realized I wanted to be in the film-making industry…so this place is like my home."

"Wow…your mom shouldn't have taken you to Paris then." Jack mumbled. I rolled my eyes, nudging him playfully.

"I can't believe we're in the actual city of Paris!" Milton exclaimed. Eric's camera immediately shot to Milton's direction. "The culture, the monuments, the historical background—"

"Forget all that crap!" Jerry said shoving a hand over Milton's mouth, much to Milton's resent. "The clubs they got here, the smoking-hot French babes! And I even hear there's a European Swimsuit Model Company that I SO want to see—"

"Well, girls are one thing, and I am dying to see the swimsuit models!" Eddie laughed. "But, I'm just excited that we're eating lunch now. All the food! _Chez Chartier _is just a few blocks down!"

"You know what I really want to see?" Rudy chimed in. "Mimes! How do they do the whole walking-down-the-stairs thing? I'm sure if I learn Mime tricks, I can definitely win a girl. Just gotta find a Mime to teach me how to do it!"

"Yeah, considering they don't speak…good luck with that Rudy." Jack smirked, patting his shoulder. Rudy rolled his eyes.

"More importantly, I sense romance tingling between this blonde and brunette," Eric said, pointing at Jack and me. "Good thing Bobby gave me a better HD camera…I'm going to need that for all those Jack and Kim shippers out there!" I blushed hardly, not knowing how to respond to that ridiculous comment.

"I'm telling you, by the time we leave Paris, Jack and Kim is so going to be boyfriend and girlfriend!" Jerry exclaimed. "You can feel the love!"

Aggravated, I punched him the stomach hardly.

"Feel that love," I snapped, slightly smirking.

"I wish I could've brought Julie with me to Paris." Milton sighed sadly. "She's always wanted to go to Paris, and see the Eiffel Tower…"

"Wait, you have a girlfriend?" Eric asked. "Didn't see that coming."

"Hey, for your information, I'm pretty irresistible!" Milton said. I rolled my eyes. "And Julie and I are getting pretty serious now…and this place just reminds me of her! If only she was here…"

"Yeah, and you could've _finally _kissed!" I said. "I mean, what's more romantic than kissing in Paris?"

"Yeah, but Milty's too scared to kiss Julie!" Eddie said, pinching his cheeks teasingly.

"How long are we going to have to wait for this?" I said, annoyed. "I even kissed you for practice, and you _still _haven't kissed her yet!"

"Wait…" Jack said, taken aback, staring at me wide-eyed and shocked. "You kissed… Milton?"

_Oh, curse me and my big mouth. _

"Ooh, the drama!" Eric sing-songed. "This is good stuff." I gave him a glare.

"Pssh, no why would you think that?" I attempted, putting on a sheepish grin. I skimmed the streets, looking for a distraction.

"Uh, because you just told us that." Jack replied. "Huh…that would've been interesting information to know…" Was he actually hurt by this?

"OH, we got a dawg right here!" Jerry said, pointing at Milton. He pushed him off hastily.

"It didn't mean anything. It was only because Milton was such a big baby and got visions of her Aunt Gerdy." I said. Jack rolled his eyes.

"Hey!" Milton said.

"Okay. Whatever." Jack shrugged. However, I could see a glint of envy and hurt flicker in his eyes.

"Aw, is Jack jealous that his favorite girl kissed Milton?" Eddie asked. Jack shot him a glare.

"Shut…up…" Jack growled. Before any more argument on this could come up, I could see an old-fashioned building with a rusty sign saying "_Chez Chartier." _

"Look, we're here at the restaurant!" I said loudly, beckoning that I didn't want to talk about that anymore. I ran into the French restaurant for the first time, and had my mouth slightly agape. We all went to sit in one of the big tables, with Eddie seeming the most excited out of all of us to be in a French restaurant for the very first time. Eddie grabbed the menu, skimming his eyes giddily throughout the entire menu. As it was a big booth, we managed with Milton, Jerry, Eddie and Eric sitting on one side, with Jack, me and Rudy sitting on the other. A young-looking waiter passed by us, and gave us a tired smile.

"_Bonjour et bienvenue a Chez Chartier! __Vous Désirez? _"He asked. We all gave him blank stares. Milton faced us rolling his eyes.

"He asked 'What do you want to eat?'" Milton said. A chorus of "OH's" echoed throughout the room, as Eddie and Jerry started telling the waiter what they wanted…and quite a list it was. The waiter managed to catch the phrases of food that Jerry and Eddie wanted, and scribbled it down on his pad. Jack, Rudy and I asked for a simply asked for _Poulet Frits _which was just chicken with fries. Milton, being the French guy he was, managed to order his meal in French.

"_Monsieur, je voudrais un coq au vin, un bisque, et un baguette, avec un tarte, s'il vous plait. Merci !_ " Milton said.

"_Bon. votre repas arriveront peu de temps. _" And with another tired grin he sauntered off, leaving us staring at Milton with our jaws dropped.

"God Milton, how did you learn French so well?" I asked.

"Uh, it's called French Class…something you people don't even listen to." Milton said. I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, back to why we're even in Paris in the first place," Jack said. "So, we need to get to the Eiffel Tower like soon, before the other groups get it. There should only be five copies left of the fourth clue, so we better hurry…"

"So after lunch, we're going straight to the Eiffel Tower…" Eddie said, as he anxiously waited for the food. "Got it."

"Wait…" Milton said. "But, where in the Eiffel Tower is it hidden? Do you know?"

"Uh…" I said. "All I heard Drake say was that it was in the Eiffel Tower but—"

"But it could be anywhere!" Rudy exclaimed. "On the top, underneath, in plain sight! Oh no, what are we going to do?"

"Calm down Rudy!" I said. "It has to be in there _somewhere _so let's not—"

"Kim?"

I jerked my head up to see who was calling my name to see someone I haven't seen in a long time. I quickly rose up from my seat to greet him.

"Travis! Hi!" I exclaimed. He smiled.

"Hey Kim…can I talk to you?" He asked shyly.

"Um yeah sure…is everything okay?" I asked.

"Yeah but I just need to tell you something…wanna get a table?" He said. I smiled.

"Sure." I said, and I was about to walk with Travis, when I felt a tight hand grip my wrist. I turned around seeing Jack, looking clearly annoyed.

"Hey…don't fall for his tricks…okay? Because, I got a bad feeling about this." Jack said, glaring like Travis like he was some kind of terrorist. I rolled my eyes.

"Ugh, will you relax already? He's not a monster, you know..." And with a cold glare, and a flip of my heel, I walked out.

I sat down in another table next to Travis, and he faced me with that spikey blonde hair and those kind sea-blue eyes. "So listen…I was thinking we should get to know eachother better…and I know this is probably the worst time ever to ask, since the stakes are getting so high with this Hunt thing but…will you go out with me? For one date?"

My eyes were so wide they were ready to fall out of my head.

_Travis just asked me out. _

_Should I go? _

_No I shouldn't. _

_Why not? _

_It's just one date. _

_What could possibly go wrong?_

_Aw, how can I say no? Just look at that innocent face!_

_You know what, I'm saying yes. _

_I'm not going to care what Jack thinks. _

"Um…sure, I'd love to." I said, smiling, finally made up my mind. He smiled back, but there was something about his smile, that was…different. It had a twinge of…guilt? Anxiety? I wasn't sure.

_Stop listening to Jack! Travis is a good guy…there's nothing wrong with him. _

"Oh, that's…that's great." Travis sighed, laughing a bit.

"Where do you want to go?" I asked.

"How about tonight? Me and you on the Eiffel Tower? And uh…maybe we get the clue together. You and I forming alliances. I know where it's hidden."

"You do? That's great, but why don't we just go now?"

"Oh, because we have to go when it's late... when less people are there, so nobody thinks we're up to no good…plus…" And here, he put his hand on top of mine. I felt a huge lump forming in my throat, and my heart racing. "I think it would be kind of romantic if we had dinner on top of The Eiffel Tower."

I smiled. "Okay…tonight it is. Can't wait."

"Me too." He smiled, and I stared into his eyes once more. However I was the one to break from the staring contest.

"Um, I better go back to my dojo…I'll see you tonight?"

"See you then." He said, and with a flirtatious wave, I got up and ran back to my seat, with butterflies fluttering in my stomach, and my mind feeling like it's departed into another world, with a dreamy smile plastered on my face. The food seemed to have arrived already as the smell wafted into my nose. Once I set down, the guys all gave me curious stares.

"Well…what did he say?" Eric started flipping his camera switch back on, after taking a bite from his _Coq au vin. _

"Oh, nothing…just…things," I said, trying to stuff my mouth with chicken so I wouldn't have to talk.

"Uh, he was holding your hand, that can't be _nothing_," Jack said, a little annoyed. I faced him.

"Wait; hang on…were you spying on me?" I asked, folding my arms across my chest. His face turned red.

"OOH BURN!" Jerry hooted.

"So what did he say?" Jack said, trying to change the subject. I shook my head in disbelief.

"Nothing, okay? God he just asked me out no big deal—"

"Wait, he asked you out?" Milton said, with a smile. "Where? When? Girl, you gotta give me deets now!"

Ah that was Milton. He can be such a girl sometimes.

"Tonight at the Eiffel Tower." I said. "It's no big deal."

"Well to Jack it looks like a huge deal." Eddie said. "Just look at him!" I turned my head to Jack, whose face immediately turned red.

"I am not jealous, okay? So what if Kim goes out on a date? Kim, I hope you have a…good time." He seemed to stress on those last words, giving me the most disbelieving smile he could've ever given me.

"Wait, what about the clue?" Rudy asked. "We're still forgetting about that."

"Well, Travis knows where it is in the Eiffel Tower, so we're going to get it together." I said.

"Hey, mind if I come with you on the date, Kim? I _need _to videotape that!" Eric said. I looked at him in incredulity.

"No!" I yelled. "You don't stalk girls when they're on dates Eric!"

"Wait, so you formed an alliance?" Jack asked. "How can you even trust this guy? You barely know him! What if he does something to you?"

"I know him very well!" I said defensively.

"Oh yeah?" He challenged. "What's his last name?"

"Oh, pssh, that's so easy his last name is…" But no more words came out of my mouth. They couldn't.

I didn't even know Travis's last name.

"Exactly." Jack said. "You barely know him, and you're going on a date with him. That is ridiculous."

I scoffed. "I can't believe how…ludicrous you're being! I think the whole reason why you're mad about this, is because it's about you. It's always about you, isn't it? You always want things to go in your own way."

"I don't trust him! What happened to _trust no one?_" Jack said.

"What happened to being _friends_? You're acting so overprotective of me, and I'm sick of it! Now I'm going to go back to the hotel and get ready for my date…and if you really want that clue for yourself, go get it yourself!" And with that, I got up and stormed off to the hotel to get ready for my date tonight.

_Just get the clue yourself? _

What's happening to us?

Why is Jack so angry about this?

And why am I starting to regret even saying yes to this date?

* * *

><p><span>JACK<span>

_Overprotective? _

I can't believe her.

After a couple of hours of some "guy-only" sightseeing in Paris, the six of us (excluding Kim thanks to her cliché hasty exit) decided to head to our hotel room, casually strolling along the streets of Paris in the evening sun. The vivid shades of pink, blue and orange softly blended together as the moon started to faintly appear. It all looked gorgeous. Yet I wasn't able to enjoy my first day in a foreign country with the greenery of parks, and the beautiful old-fashioned buildings or even some of the trendy cars speeding by.

And that's not just because of my lack of sleep with the different time zones.

My mind was only focused on the fact that Kim _actually _agreed to go on a date with that…that bottle-blond, blue-eyes, stalker-ish, smile flaunting, North Carolina boy. Okay fine, I'll admit, if someone were to look at me right now, they can see a little green monster forming in my enraged eyes. Yes, I the Jack Anderson was resentful of Travis taking Kim out on a romantic dinner-for-two.

But you should know one thing.

When Jack Anderson senses evil.

There _is _evil.

I tore away from the infuriating feeling of feeling "dumped" by Kim, and turned my attention to the camera that was centimeters away from my face, causing me to grow aggravated.

"Eric!" I scolded. "You don't have to record every little moment you know? Jesus."

"Hey, how can I not record you with that bitter, envious look on your face?" Eric said with a smile tweaking at the corner of his lips. "You being jealous should definitely leave the Kick watchers flying!"

"Uh…Kick watchers?" Rudy asked, in confusion. "What's that?"

"Err, it's their pairing name? Duh!" Eric exclaimed. "Jack. Kim. Kick. Their fans came up with it. Isn't it cute?"

"Whoa, Jack and Kim have a pairing name?" Jerry chimed in. "Well say hello to the next Jelena!" He exclaimed teasingly. I felt my face heating up drastically, rolling my eyes.

"You guys are ridiculous." I growled angrily.

"Well Jack, you better step up your game bro," Eddie said, putting his arm around my shoulder. "Because right now, Kim's getting ready on a dinner date with Travis that's on top of the Eiffel Tower, while you're standing here _still _denying your love for her."

"Put us out of our misery Jack, and make your move already!" Milton exasperated. I rolled my eyes once more, as we walked into the hotel lobby.

"Why don't _you_ put us out of our misery by making your move on Julie already?" I said, attempting to change the subject that's causing my face to grow as red as a tomato.

"If Julie was here, I'd love to take her out on the most exhilarating, romantic date ever." Milton said, pushing the elevator button. "But my little pumpkin pie isn't here to enjoy Paris with me. So stop talking about her, got it?"

"Ah forget it, it's never going to happen," Rudy said irritably, with a tweak of a smile on his face. The elevator doors slowly slid open revealing someone with a nose buried in a book entitled "_Paris Sights to Capture_".

A girl.

Her sandy-brown hair fell over her shoulders, fixing her glasses to her eyes as she stared at us in pure astonishment. She straightened her vintage dress, and when she stared at Milton, she spread a wide smile across her face.

"Milton?" She screamed with glee.

Milton had an enlarged, stunned smile grow on his face as he finally comprehended who the girl was that was ready to throw her arms around him.

Looks like everyone found love on this trip.

"Julie?" We all choked in unison.

* * *

><p><span>MILTON<span>

"Julie!" I exclaimed in happiness, bringing her into my arms as we laughed in harmony. The moment seemed so miraculous, yet so surreal that _my _Julie, _my _favorite girl, _my _little chemical concoction, _my—_

_Get to the point, Milton!_

Sorry. Anyway, the fact that she was here sent my heart flying. With her sandy brown hair graciously flowing over her shoulders, her creamy pools of eyes as it twinkles under the lobby chandelier, and that lovely smile that sets me free. However, all these possibilities raced through my head as to what she was doing here in the enchanted city of France. Is she here because of her uncle Ty? Are The Black Dragons here too? "What are you doing here?" I asked pulling away from our somewhat long embrace.

"Oh, I visited Paris for a fun-ducational trip!" Julie giggled with the most beautiful smile I've seen. "I'm here with my Summer Adventurer's Club. We came to Paris to get some credit points for college. So far, we've visited The Arc de Triomphe and The Eiffel Tower, and tomorrow, we're seeing the Louvre Museum. Isn't that great?" I smiled at her.

"What's great is that you're here with me!" I cried merrily. "I missed you so much! It's been two weeks since we last talked…when I got roped into this Hunt thing."

"Aw Milty, I missed you too!" She hugged me once again.

"Aw." Jerry chimed in. "Nerd love."

"Hey, it's cute." Rudy said.

"Makes great footage," Eric said cheerfully.

Jack, Jerry and Eddie pulled me aside, bringing me closer to their ears.

"Okay, Julie's actually in Paris, which is…really surprising," Jack narrowed his eyes. "So now, you _have _to make your move. Take her out to dinner…like _now_."

What?

Dinner?

_Now? _

"Wait, _what_?" I hissed back.

"You heard him." Jerry said. "What's more romantic than a candlelit dinner in Paris? Totally swag, plus you get to _finally_ make your move. Come on, Kim didn't kiss you for nothing."

"Make your move, Milton." Rudy smiled. "Make your move."

"I'm not even properly dressed! Plus, I don't know if I'm—"

"Hey Julie, Milton wants to take you out on a very special dinner tonight!" Eddie yelled, turning his attention to Julie. I gave him a cold glare, shaking my head uncontrollably. Julie faced me with willing eyes.

"Really?" Julie exclaimed. "Well, I was just about to head to dinner to this restaurant called the _Chez Chartier._ I heard it's a good place. Ready to go?"

"Oh, he's ready." Jerry said, and shoved me closer to Julie. With an apprehensive, quivering breath, I held out my arm and she interlocked hers around mine with a wide. I reluctantly started walking out the lobby in a mature-like posture, with a stunned look on my face taking Julie to the restaurant I just went to for lunch.

What have the guys just _done_?

Because as usual.

Milton Krupnick wasn't ready.

Not just for the date, as I wasn't dressed properly.

I wasn't ready to kiss Julie.

* * *

><p><span>JACK<span>

_Well, hopefully Milton's reunited date with Julie goes well. _

Jerry, Eddie, and I approached our hotel room. The hallway was calm and quiet, except for Rudy and Eric's indistinct talking as they went into the room they shared. Our room was a double suite, with Kim having her own room yet again, while I shared with the guys in another…and knowing how rambunctious Jerry and Eddie get overnight, I decided to share a bed with Milton. Knowing Kim was inside—getting ready for her stupid date—I knocked on the door.

"Kim? It's us." I called. I heard footsteps approaching, and with a twist of the doorknob, the door swung open, revealing a totally glammed-up girl who I remembered saying that she hated dressing fancy. Kim wore a sequined navy-blue dress with a glittering black cardigan on top. Her honey blonde hair was in curls as it dangled over her shoulders, and she merrily shrugged when she saw us.

We, however, stared at her in awe.

"Hey guys." She said simply, letting us come inside. We however couldn't move for a second.

"Whoa." Jerry, Eddie and I breathed.

"Are you going to get inside or not?" She retorted rather impatiently. Jerry and Eddie looked at me.

"Uh—Jack wants to actually!" Eddie said. She gave me a bit of an annoyed look—must be because of our argument from earlier today.

"Wait, what?" I glared at Eddie.

"Yeah, Jack this is your game not ours." Jerry mumbled. He shoved me in the room. "We'll wait outside!" I faced Kim, and with a roll of her eyes, she slammed the door shut. Taking no notice I was in the room, she simply went back to her room, and continued to apply makeup on her face.

"So…just one date, huh?" I started. "More like prom."

"Hey, I'm a girl, I'll wear stuff like this…suck it up." She snapped.

"Why are you even wasting your time and going to this thing anyway?" I said. "We could've found the clue today instead of you wasting time."

"Jack, I need a break from this stupid thing!" She yelled. "And I'm still getting the clue. Just not with you guys."

"Right. You'd rather get it with someone you barely even know instead of your friends—who you at least know the last names of."

"Why are you so against this? You can't force me not to go!" She yelled, the tone of her voice growing harsh.

"I'm not forcing you not to go!" I countered. "I'm just worried that's all."

"Of what, Travis murdering me? Yeah Jack, why don't you go start planning my funeral." She eyed me coldly.

"No, of him breaking your heart!" I shouted, clearly irritated. The anger in her eyes slightly softened, but not enough to talk at a calm level. Kim walked over to the suitcase, and grabbed the scroll with the riddle in it out of the box. She stomped towards me, and shoved the scroll in my hands.

"Take it," She said irritably. "If you really want that clue for yourself. You just always want the spotlight. For everything."

"That's not why! I don't even care who finds it!" I said defensively. Rolling her eyes, she picked up her purse fixing her eyes to her phone as it had buzzed.

"Travis is waiting outside. I gotta go." With a cold glare, she stomped off. I followed behind her, with the scroll still crumpled in my hands, and she opened the door revealing a curious Jerry and Eddie.

"So? How did it go?" Jerry said teasingly with a raise of his eyebrow. Kim shoved him and she ran to the elevator. Jerry and Eddie gave me confused looks.

"What's with her?" Eddie asked me. I shrugged helplessly.

"Well Kim's going on a date with a guy that she barely knows, and she's mad at me because apparently I'm being hostile." I growled.

"Dude, she looks wazzed off, yo!" Jerry said, still clutching his chest.

"Let's spy on her date!" Eddie proposed.

"Let's get to the lobby. Like, _now._" Jerry said, and he dragged my arm to the elevator, not even giving me a say in what I wanted to do.

But now that I think about it, spying on Kim's date was an option that formulated in my head.

The doors slid open, and Jerry, Eddie and I ran out seeing Kim by the front entrance, smiling at a boy who was in a real fancy get-up. His blonde hair was overly gelled and pushed back, and he wore a blue blazer over a t-shirt and that stupid grin on his face that apparently made Kim melt. The two of them locked hands and talked with eachother, both seeming to be in a daze as they smiled at eachother dreamily. My face fell, and it felt like my feelings were bundled up and tossed back and forth, rattling in my brain with disappointment. Jerry and Eddie faced me.

"Sorry, man." Jerry mumbled.

"I couldn't care less. It's just I don't trust that guy. There's something going on, I know it." I said.

"Wait…" Eddie said pointing a finger. "Look at those guys." My eyes followed to where Jerry was pointing and there were a group of boys who were staring at Travis and Kim as they started walking out. Mumbling together and smiling maliciously, it seemed that they started to follow the two lovebirds on their date. All of them seemed very familiar in their Bobby Wasabi T-shirts and such, yet there was one guy that stood out of all of them. He too, had blonde spiky hair, with a malevolent grin glued on his face his crystal blue orbs eyeing Travis and Kim's every movement like a hawk.

That person.

Was Drake.

And that's when the pieces started to come together as Drake and the rest of the boys started to walk out of the lobby as well…in the direction Travis and Kim went.

"Guys that's Drake. He's following Travis and Kim…that must mean something really _is _wrong." I said, my eyes enlarged, and my heart thumping loudly in my chest. Jerry and Eddie faced me fearfully.

"Where are Travis and Kim headed?" Eddie asked.

"The Eiffel Tower! I think Drake's going to do something!" I yelled.

"Oh no!" Eddie shrieked. "This is bad, this is bad!"

"Well, let's go then!" Jerry said. Immediately, Jerry, Eddie and I charged out the hotel door, sneakily running behind the chain of people to The Eiffel Tower.

Drake and his "minions".

And the two lovebirds prancing about like a happy couple.

Like I said when Jack Anderson senses evil.

There is evil.

* * *

><p><em>Whoa. <em>

As Jerry, Eddie and I approached The Eiffel Tower we couldn't help but stand and admire one of the wonders of the world. As night had raised the city lights were up and running illuminating the effervescent streets of Paris ever so beautifully. The Eiffel Tower stood proudly as the golden lights twinkled, bringing a bit of stress to my eyes. The scenery was gorgeous. What a place.

_Okay, switching back to my mission. _

Jerry, Eddie and I tip-toed to the corner of the monument where we could see the deserted lobby of The Eiffel Tower. I turned to Drake and his minions as they crept into the entrance of The Eiffel Tower, where I could see a few people still loitering around. From where I was standing, I could see Kim and Travis walking into the elevator with shy grins on their faces. With Travis's grin however, there was a twinge of apprehension…of guilt…of regret.

_Is he as bad as I think he is?_

Resuming back to the mission, I saw the elevator doors slide shut, and I could hear Drake and his demon-friends mumbling something together, as if devising a game plan while they were huddled in a circle. Along with the scheming I could also hear faint manic laughs. Rather than using the elevator, the boys started climbing up the stairs rapidly. Jerry, Eddie and I dashed inside the tower building. I faced the two and they both gave me curious looks.

"So what's the game plan? Drake's probably heading up there to trash Kim's date." Eddie said.

"I think it's about more than just trashing her stupid date, Eddie." I breathed heavily. "So, I'm going to go up there."

"Wait, but if you go up the stairs—"

"I'll go up the elevator." I interrupted Jerry. "And I'll warn Kim and tell her to come down."

"Can't you just beat them up at the stairs? I mean, come on…that is your specialty." Jerry said.

"I can't just beat them up…not with people still around." I hissed. "The safest thing is to bring Kim down."

"What about us? I think we'd make good back up…eh?" Eddie said.

I shook my head. "No, you guys stay here. If I'm not back in the next half-hour, get help. Call Rudy or something."

"Aw, really?" Jerry wailed. I nodded.

"I don't want anything happening to you guys." I said. "Just stay here, I'll be back." And with that, I rapidly clicked the button to one elevator numerously, waiting for the elevator doors to slide open.

Yes.

The top of The Eiffel Tower.

Where rather than going for sightseeing, and admiring the lovely view of France.

I'm rescuing a girl from her possible doom.

* * *

><p><span>KIM<span>

"How are you enjoying it so far?"

I stared at the lovely, delectable food, sitting on my plate and just waiting for me to devour it, when I've only been taking small bites. The view from the top of one of the wonders of the world seemed so overwhelming, with the city lights brightly shining on the ground, the little cars racing by, and even the little people who looked like ants from up here. And the dinner that Travis had planned seemed extremely grand, with a neat, fancy gourmet dinner set up with a nice round table, and two chairs on both sides, as we sat down.

Yes, yes, it was nothing but a cliché dinner date in France.

However it was sweet.

Mature.

What a gentleman he was.

"It's…it's great." I said, seeming to be at a loss for words. He smiled. "I don't know how you planned this so quickly."

"I planned this ahead of time actually." He said. "I just got lucky that you actually said yes."

I smiled. However, I felt it slightly falter.

Because, rather than thinking about how sweet Travis was, there was only one guy that, much to my frustration, has been lingering in my head like an annoying bug.

You got it.

Jack.

Was he jealous? Was he telling the truth? Or was it that stupid overprotective mind of his on overdrive?

I wasn't sure.

But I shouldn't be thinking about him.

Not during a moment so serene, so magnificent…so perfect.

"So, why don't you tell me about yourself?" Travis said, breaking the awkward silence. I looked up at him.

"Um, okay what do you want to know?"

"Well, for one thing, you're a girl…how did you get so interested in martial arts?"

"I'm flattered by the way you stereotype girls." I said sarcastically, with a smile to convey that I was teasing. He chuckled.

"Sorry," He laughed. "Didn't mean to offend you."

"It's okay…but that's exactly what I wanted to do, you know? Break that stereotype of girls being weaker than guys. I just want to prove people wrong and not being looked at as just another pretty face…and once I want something…I go for it."

_Yeah that's me…Kim Crawford. _

_Your 'voice of reason'. _

"You're not like the others are you?" He said, seeming into to be deep in thought as he stared into my eyes.

"Well, I hope not…even when wearing a dress like this," I laughed.

"I think it looks beautiful." He said, smiling at me genuinely. I smiled shyly, looking down.

_Aw, he called me pretty!_

_And Jack said he was a heartbreaker._

"Kim, I have to tell you something," He said, clearing his throat. I looked up, staring at him, beckoning him to continue. His eyes suddenly turned angst-ridden, filled with regret and guilt, and he opened his mouth hesitantly to say that—

Suddenly, his phone rang off. He grabbed it from the table hastily, and stared at the phone, looking at the Caller ID. His eyes were widened with uncertainty and he looked at me, flashing a half-hearted, feeble smile.

"I have to take this, I'm sorry." He said, rising from his chair. I got up along with him.

"Is everything okay?" I asked with concern. He seemed to be unable to speak for a moment, but he nodded, still managing a smile.

"Yeah, everything's fine, I just need to take this…just stay here okay?"

"It's cool, go ahead." I smiled.

"I'm sorry." He said, but when he said it this time, it seemed more…sincere. Like he's really sorry for something…like he didn't want it to happen. With somewhat of a sad look, he ran inside the interior of the building¸ which I believe lead to the stairs, and shut it. With a bored sigh, I stood up from my seat, and walked closer to the terrace, where I could see a better view from the top of the tower. The city lights blurred into my eyes, and the motor of cars echoed faintly in my ears. The chill wind brushed on my skin, and flowed through my blonde hair. Everything seemed so serene and discreet…

"So we meet again, huh?"

That voice…

I recognize that anywhere.

I twisted around, seeing a large group of boys standing and eyeballing me maliciously with sinister grins curved on their faces. My eyes were enlarged with surprise, and I could've sworn my bottom lip was quivering in anxiety. Chortling, one of the boys stepped out and walked closer towards me, and gave me a wave.

"Well, well I knew I'd be seeing you again." The boy said.

"What do you want, _Drake_?" I replied coldly.

"It's funny Kim," He started slowly walking around me in circles. My feet seemed to be glued to the floor, standing like a statue. I took deep, uneven breaths as he started walking around me. "I didn't think you'd actually come here. I thought you were smarter than that."

"What are you talking about?" I asked skeptically.

"We _all _know why you came here Kim." He said.

"Yeah, you came to go on a date with my dojo-mate!" One guy peeped from the large crowd. Drake rolled his eyes.

_Wait…what? _

_The crowd is a lot bigger…and Drake only has four members in his dojo._

"Let me do the talking, man!" He whined.

"Wait…" I said, thinking. "Why is… Travis's dojo with you?"

"I'll ask the questions here, sweetheart." He replied, grinning cockily. "You came here for the clue didn't you? How did you find out about it?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm kind of a smart girl." I retorted.

"If you were smart, you would know it's rude to eavesdrop." Drake said. He grinned evilly here. I furrowed my brow, staring at Drake, utterly baffled.

And I'm positive that you're confused about this situation as well…

So sit tight…

It's about to get crazy.

"Wait…you knew I was eavesdropping?" I said, with a crack in my voice as it escalated higher.

"Stupid, silly girl…if you hadn't eavesdropped we wouldn't be here." Drake smiled. The rest of the boys snickered, inching closer towards me. My heart thumped rapidly in my chest, with butterflies in my stomach, and my arms and legs immediately feelings like jelly.

And as soon as Drake said those four words, I knew that I've just made the biggest, stupidest mistake of my life.

"Welcome to the trap."

"You…you…you set me up! The clue isn't hidden in The Eiffel Tower…is it?" I screamed at them, still standing in place. They all laughed.

"Kim, you set yourself up. _You_ were the one to eavesdrop on us. And _you _were the one to believe our little act. We were just the icing on top of the cake." Drake said. "Now…we can do this the easy way or the hard way. You can give us the object you found back in Hawaii…and we'll tell you where the clue _really _is."

"In your dreams, San Francisco boy," I said icily.

"Then I'm afraid we have to do this the hard way…" Drake said. "My North Carolina allies…get her."

I ducked as one of the boys aimed their first punch, and I stepped back. I spun around and kicked the boy in the stomach, causing him to fall down, and clutch his stomach in pain.

But he just rose right back up.

Five boys circulated around me, and they started flying all the punches and kicks they could. I ducked, and did what I could to defend myself…punches, kicks, slaps…in fact I wasn't doing so bad, since they hadn't hit me yet.

But that's when things flew downhill.

From behind me, I could feel two tight, muscular arms wrapped around my arms and waist tightly like a rope. From below me, I saw another guy tying ropes around my legs, so I had no spot of defense whatsoever. I struggled to release from the boy's rigid grasp, but it rendered itself useless.

"Let…me…go!" I growled, as I continued to struggle from the idiots grasp. All he did was chuckle. I saw Drake step towards me, giving me a smile, with the other boys behind him.

"Hey you had your choice." Drake said, stepping so close, I could smell his nasty breath. "Now it's my turn. And I think your brain needs a little hiatus from the clue-investigating don't you think?"

_Oh no. _

_He wouldn't. _

His fist was spread wide out in the air, aiming for my skull. My eyes widened, as I still attempted to release from the firm grasp. Suddenly, out of nowhere, my mind trailed back to what happened from _that night…_

_The gun aiming towards my skull. _

_The glimpse of a malicious smile on the killer's face…_

"Say goodnight princess." He smiled.

"_Say goodnight princess." The coated boy had said in a low husky voice. _

_The voice. _

_It was a boy. _

And with a laugh, he swung his clenched fist, aiming for my skull…

When a hand caught it.

I stared awestruck, at the brunette's sudden entrance, as he defensively stepped in front of me. His back was turned on me, but I could instantly tell who it was as soon as he growled his famous catchphrase "You probably shouldn't have done that."

Jack.

Jack kicked Drake's stomach, leaving him flying, and the rest of the boys started attacking him. Jack managed to lock eyes with me for a second, and they were filled of pure anxiousness. Not anger…not resent…they were filled with concern.

But his eyes immediately turned away, and he used all the tricks and motions he could to defeat the two dojos. Rather than letting go, the guy held on to me even tighter, dragging me away from the battle scene. I struggled even harder, but he wouldn't budge.

"Don't think you're leaving that easily." The boy huffed. "We have a special place reserved for you…" And when I looked at where the guy was dragging me, it seemed to be a door.

With the words "Storage Closet" etched on the top of it.

"LET…GO…OF…ME….NOW!" I screamed, strangling harder than ever, attempting to wriggle my way out of the grasp, and yet failing once again. I frantically turned my head to Jack, who was trying his best to battle the boys.

But 9 against 1 are tough to battle.

Even for The Jack Anderson.

Jack was trying to use all the karate moves he could, punching and crushing all the bones he could, taking down one boy at a time…

Not his smartest move.

Drake peered behind him, and aimed a long metallic rod to his head. My eyes were wide with worry.

_Oh crap. _

"JA—" I started to shrill loudly.

And the boy's hand clasped over my mouth.

Making it too late.

The rod collided with Jack's head with a loud "bang!" and Jack collapsed to the ground, not moving a muscle. Two of the boys picked up his body as if it were a toy, and dragged it over to where I was. Tears sprinkled down my eyes, as I saw Jack unconscious. I screamed under the hand that was over my mouth, but they all took no notice. Drake opened the closet door, and they threw Jack in the closet. The boy that had covered my mouth finally took his hand away, and I faced Drake.

"You wouldn't dare!" I screamed.

"Throw her in too." Drake smiled. "I think these two need some rest." Obeying, the boy flung me into the closet, and my body collided against the cold floor.

"Sweet dreams you two." Drake said. I weakly attempted to rise up, but couldn't. I could only see darkness as the inky black sky rose, making it hard to see Drake's face. "We'll be back _after _we get the fourth clue, and your object. I'm sure Travis would love to know that the plan worked."

Tears continued sprinkling down my cheeks.

_Travis. _

_He set me up._

_He played me like a puppet. _

_He…_

_He betrayed me. _

I stared at Jack's unconscious face in utter guilt and anxiety.

"So…Travis…he knew about this?" I asked.

"Sweetie, he's part of this trap. You were just stupid enough to fall for it." Drake said malevolently.

"You're a real monster, you know that?" I retorted weakly.

"Thank you. _Au revoir, mon chère_." Drake said in a French accent. And with a chorus of laughter, they slammed the door shut and locked it, leaving Jack and I in darkness.

Pure darkness.

I feebly attempted to bang on the door, but it was no use. I tried shaking Jack awake, but it was also no use.

I had to face the fact.

I was horribly tricked.

I was horribly used.

I was horribly trapped.

And I was enduring a horrible time in Paris.

* * *

><p><strong>AN-Oh my freaking god. A LOT of things happened in this incredibly long chappie! Let's start with Travis. I'd really like to know what YOU think about Travis, because right now, he's somewhat of an iffy. So is Travis the good guy…or the bad guy? I mean, he did lure Kim into Drake's trap! Speaking of which….JACK AND KIM ARE LOCKED UP IN A CLOSET! How will they get out? Who's going to break them free? Will they ever get their revenge on Drake? And…what about the clue? Turns out Drake totally set Kim up, and tricked her. So, if the clue isn't hidden in The Eiffel Tower, then where is it? I'll give you a hint…the place HAS been mentioned in this chapter…see if you can find out where the fourth clue is! Okay, let's get away from the tragedy of this chapter. How about JULIE! See, I told you a surprise guest was to appear! Yes, she's back…but will Milton and Julie finally have their first kiss? **

**So. Many. QUESTIONS! **

**Frankly, this is chapter is like crap to me. I'm not really satisfied with it, but if you guys like it then I guess that's all that matters. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter! Review my amazing readers! Please review! I took a lot of time and effort into this chapter, even with my state tests next week! So make me happy with the reviews! Thanks so much for reading! Luv you guys!**

**Peace and love, **

**~Taylor **

**PS- Expect an update from me again on the 30****th****…MY BIRTHDAY! :D **


	11. The Great Escape

**A/N-Hey guys! ForeverWithFaith here, and I'm FINALLY back with Chapter 11 of The Hunt. Yeah, sorry it took so long…I had testing last week, so I really had no time for this. But I still managed to put this together for you all, so I really hope you enjoy it. And today's my birthday, so hopefully with that in mind, you'll go easy on me with the feedback if you're not happy with it. Anyway, enjoy the chapter! **

**Oh, also want to thank whoever read/reviewed my songfic 'Kiss It All Better'. I know it wasn't angst-ridden as I said it was, but to me it was since it was my first depressing/darker fic. So, thank you…it definitely helped me feel better with the positive feedback, and got me over my depression somewhat. SO thank you guys so much. I really appreciate it. :)**

**Want to dedicate this chapter to my good friend away-to-the-water. You'll see why…this chapter for you, Ariana! :)**

* * *

><p><span>KIM<span>

"Jack, wake up! Please wake up!" I screamed.

_Jack wake up. _

_Please wake up._

I vigorously shook Jack's arms, trying to wake him up for the past half an hour, but to no avail. For the first time, Jack didn't even move a muscle. Even in the darkness, I could still decipher his eyelids shut, and his mouth slightly agape, causing my stomach to lurch in pure guilt. The only reason why he was in this critical state…was because of me. Because of my foolishness. My stupidity. My stubbornness.

It was my entire fault.

If my hands needed a break from shaking Jack so much, my fists would pound against the door repeatedly, hoping that perhaps someone was there and would unlock us. _Banging. Shaking. Banging. Shaking. _

They both decreed themselves useless.

I helplessly stared at Jack in the darkness, with tears sprinkling out of my eyes. Blood pounded in my ears, blackness and water filled my vision, and the only noise I could hear was the noise of my heart thumping in my chest apprehensively. I could see a distorted image of Jack's figure as it lay flat on the ground, making no noise whatsoever.

And it's killing me.

My mind didn't seem to depart thoughts about him. The fact that he risked his life for me…I couldn't bear to feel guilty about seeing him like this. Seeing him take the pain for me.

_Okay that's it. _

_Desperate times call for desperate measures. _

I stepped closer towards him, until I could faintly see his face. Reluctantly, I held out a shaky hand and it was centimeters away from his cheek.

I didn't _want_ to do this.

But I had to.

And with a loud "_thwack!" _I struck him across the face.

I heard a frantic breath coming from Jack, and his eyes slowly slit open. I let out a relieved sigh and smiled in utter reassurance as he shot up and faced me. He stared at me with his eyes enlarged, looking completely baffled.

"Kim? Is that you?" He groaned, attempting to stare at me in the darkness. I threw my arms around him squeezing him into a tight hug with tears running down my cheeks. While he seemed utterly bewildered, he still returned the hug, squeezing me tight as well

"You're okay!" I sniffed. "God damn it Jack, I was so worried about you."

"Where are we? What…what happened?" He groaned, clutching his head in pain, as he released from the embrace.

"That depends, what do you remember last?" I asked concerned.

"I remember standing on top of The Eiffel Tower…and saving…you…from Drake…and…" He said voice trailing off, and then giving me a weird look. "Okay, that has to be a dream."

"As much as I wish it was, it's not." I said. "Drake hit your head with a metal rod…and he locked us both in a closet…are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think I'm fine." He said. "But the real question is…are _you_ okay?"

_Am I okay? _

Such a simple question.

Why couldn't I answer it normally?

"No…" I said sadly. "I was played like a fool…and the clue's not even here. I fell for Drake's stupid act. And you were…you were…"

"I believe the word you're looking for his 'right', Kimmy." Jack smiled, drawing himself a bit closer to me.

"Wanna get slapped on the other cheek?" I threatened, holding my hand out. He held his hands out in defense.

"No thanks." He said cautiously. My face fell at the fact that he was right about him.

Jack was right about Travis.

He was a liar.

He tricked me.

And he was a heartbreaker.

"I can't believe I was stupid enough to fall for all of this." I muttered under my breath, wiping my eyes as it stinged from the tears.

"You're not stupid Kim…it's going to be okay," Jack said soothingly, closer to me than before.

"No it's not!" I cried. "Because of gullible me, you got hurt, and now we're locked up in a closet with no way out. And now, we don't even know where the fourth clue is hidden. And you were right about Travis. He _is _a heartbreaker. If I hadn't said yes to his stupid date none of this would've happened… it's all because of me."

"No, no it's not. Don't worry, we'll try and find a way out." He said, putting his arm around me in a comforting way.

"By the way…" I said, meeting his eyes. "Thanks coming back for me…and having my back. I really appreciate it. Even though it ended up with us being defeated…it was really sweet of you."

"The important thing is that you're okay…and to me, that's all that matters right now." He said, and I could see a smile forming on his face. I sighed helplessly, wrapping my arms around his waist, and resting my head on his chest in pure exhaustion.

"What if we don't find a way out?" I asked softly, closing my eyes.

"Don't worry…Jerry and Eddie are downstairs…they'll get us out…hopefully," Jack said unconfidently.

I let out another helpless sigh.

While I did love those two annoying but lovable misfits.

I didn't have confidence in them finding us…

Because for one thing.

This is Jerry Martinez and Eddie Johnson we're talking about.

JERRY

I shuffled my sneaker-clad feet cheerily across the marble floor of the ground floor that I've been standing in for the past half-hour. Ironically, rather than exploring this wonder of the world, I danced. Hey, dancing helps me overcome my current anxiety, alright? With Jack and Kim not returning for a while, the angst boiled up inside of me, yet I decided to mask the fretfulness by dancing my heart out. The hip-hop music ringed through my earplugs and while I was drawing a bit of attention to the occasional people that strolled by, it seemed to carelessly fly over my head.

It's been two weeks.

Jerry Martinez desperately needed a break from all this Hunt crap.

I needed to dance.

The music serenaded into my mind, and the moves formulated in my head instantly, flowing through my body naturally as the song began.

_Girl I've been all over the world, looking for—_

"JERRY!"

Stopping the song irritably, I unplugged the earplugs from my ears, coming face-to-face with a very apprehensive looking Eddie. "What do you want, Eddie? Can't you see I'm rocking out right now?"

"It's been a half hour, man! Jack and Kim haven't returned…I'm starting to get a really bad feeling about this…"

"Dude will you chill? I'm sure they're probably making out or something…" And with a careless shrug, I started plugging the earplugs back into its rightful place…

When Eddie yanked them out again.

"This is serious!" He cried. "I think we should go up there. Or we should call Rudy for help. Maybe Drake and those guys did something to them."

With a roll of my eyes, I sighed deeply. "Fine," I moaned. "But if we do find Drake and them, I'm using your fat body as a human shield."

"Hey! Feelings!" Eddie said.

"I speak the truth, Young Falafel Ball." I smirked, and we both made our way towards the elevator. We clicked the button to the elevator, and as it slid open, you'd expect the elevator to be empty as it was late at night…

It was the opposite of empty.

The elevator was crowded with a number of guys…all wearing maniacal grins, all having that hot flames dancing in their eyes, and all looking at us like we were fresh meat they could just devour.

And all wearing Bobby Wasabi T-Shirts.

Eddie and I backed away from the large boy group as they looked at us with villainous eyes. We saw Drake peer out of the crowd, coming to face-to-face with me, as Eddie had used _me _as the human shield.

"Well look at what we have here guys," Drake grinned. "Fresh dork meat. You guys are from the San Jose dojo aren't you?"

"Of course they are." One guy chimed in. "Just look at them."

"Hey, who you calling dork? It's on, yo!" I threateningly stepped towards him. He and the rest of the guys snickered.

"You? Take on us? That is hysterical!" Drake laughed. Anger boiled inside of me, as I clenched my fists. This guy did not just insult _me. _Jerry Martinez. "Now…let's snap you back into reality, kid." And with that he began to swing his balled fist to collide it against my skull.

When a fist caught it.

But not just any fist.

_My _fist.

_Holy chiz. _

"Why don't I gladly welcome you into Jerry-land first?" And with a smirk, I kicked Drake's stomach which led him to fall to the ground.

Okay, did I just actually beat Drake down?

_Hell yeah you did, Jerry! WHOO! _

"Get them!" Drake roared as he clutched his stomach on the floor, and with that, nine other guys surrounded me and Eddie, with angry flames dancing in their eyes. Eddie charged towards two guys and with an immediate duck as the two boys flied their legs in the air, he smashed his head with theirs, causing them to fall down and lay there on the spot, clutching their head in pain.

Now it was my turn.

To prove myself wrong.

I can fight.

And I can be good at Karate.

I just need to try.

Because right now all I want for once is to feel worthy.

As one of the guys charged in my direction, I snatched him by the arms, and with my tight grip, was able to throw kick after kick, causing the boy to collapse to the ground. As Eddie had continued to use his head bobbing technique on two of the other guys, I noticed the last four guys charged for me all lining up in one direction, and I spun and kicked the first guy's stomach, causing the two of the guys behind him to topple down like dominos. Before we knew it, Eddie and I were staring at a large group of boys laying on the floor, wincing as they clutch their bruised parts painfully, which frankly was something we _never _thought we'd see. The first person who struggled to stand up was Drake, which eventually was followed by the nine other boys who thrashed to show strength and triumphantly stand. He faced me and gave us a cold stare.

"This…isn't…over…Mexican boy." Drake said, shoving a penetrating finger into my shirt. "I will get rid of _all _of you Jose losers once and for all. I've already gotten rid of two. I can take care of you two and the nerdy kid easily."

"What have you done to Jack and Kim?" Eddie demanded with harshness seeping out of his tone.

"Let's just say they'll be taking a little hiatus from The Hunt." Drake smiled wearily. Eddie and I widened our eyes exchanging worried glances. He faced the rest of the injured boys. "Come on boys. We have a clue to find." And with that, they limped out of The Eiffel Tower, and Eddie and I shot eachother looks filled with mixed emotions.

One of them being excitement.

"What just happened?" Eddie squealed.

"I'll tell you what just happened! We just beat the _crap _out of those losers! LIKE A BOSS, WHOO!" I flinged my hands up in the air triumphantly, high fiving Eddie. I couldn't believe that I, Jerry Martinez, for the first time in my life, took down ten of the toughest guys all by myself. Well, with the little help of Eddie, but you get the point.

"So…it was possible." Eddie smiled. "We could defend ourselves and take down guys. All we needed—"

"Was to believe in ourselves." I finished. "Think about it man…if we actually put more effort into martial arts then we normally do…we can be as good as Jack and Kim. And we can finally get our black belts and prove others…that we _can _do this."

"You're right." Eddie agreed. "I say we form a pact. You and I. We're going to work hard and put more effort into karate. Deal?"

"Deal." I high fived Eddie.

"Now, let's call Rudy and Milton." Eddie said. "We need all the help we can get to find Jack and Kim. You heard what Drake said."

"Do you think Drake…?" My voice trailed off anxiously. Eddie vigorously shook his head.

"No. No, he couldn't. He wouldn't…right?" Eddie started panting harder.

"I'm…I'm sure he…he wouldn't go that far." I said with a crack in my voice. "Now would you please call Milton and Rudy? Pronto!" And with an uneasy sigh, Eddie punched in the numbers on his phone and called Rudy. But I started to think about that question. And the more I thought about it, the more I started to hyperventilate.

What if Drake _did _go that far with Jack and Kim?

MILTON

"This is nice, isn't it?"

The candlelit dinner that was set up for us was exquisite, the delectable food lingering in my tongue, and as it grew later into the night, the crowd emptied leaving me and Julie one of the few people in the restaurant. We were sitting across from eachother, talking, laughing, eating, or sometimes fixed into each other's gazes.

Yet the one thing we didn't do…was kiss.

_I'm never going to get the kiss I want. _

"It's only nice with you here," I said, throwing in a shy smile. She giggled.

"Your sweet talking never gets old." Julie giggled. "And the food here is amazing. I've never eaten this much since Health class when we learned about the all the different nutrients!" I chuckled and we ended up both sighing, with a long awkward pause.

"So, what did you do when I was gone for a week and a half?" I asked. "How's San Jose?"

"Well, I didn't do much honestly. I was researching a bit about the _Miao Dao _sword, and I was also watching you guys on T.V…Jack and Kim…you just have to love them." Julie laughed.

"Wait, you researched about the Miao Dao sword? What did you find?" I asked curiously.

"Just the history of it….did you know that thing has an extremely sharp point? With just one touch of the point, you could bleed excessively!" Julie shuddered. "I also found out that it's actually a 'powerful' sword. One of the most important as a matter of fact…it legitimately holds great power and value and if it's in the wrong hands, could lead to horrible consequences. Like, we're talking from the ancestors."

"Holy Christmas Nuts." I breathed, and I let out an anxious sigh. _Powerful. Important. Consequences. _Those words mixed together can bring a guy a load of anxiety. Julie laughed at my panic-stricken expression and got up from her seat that was across, and sat right next to me in the booth. She placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, which instantly caused my shoulders to relax a bit.

"Milton, don't worry, okay? I know you guys are going to find that sword and win the prize." She smiled soothingly.

"But, it's more about just winning that Ultimate Prize." I said. "It's about bringing the sword back to its rightful place, at rest where it belongs…not with someone else using it to…take over the world or something. And as a devotional follower of Ancient Chinese Culture, I will _not _rest until that sword is where it belongs…in a place where society can rest." She looked at me like I've just given some inspirational speech that moved her, that touched her.

When all I was doing was speaking my mind.

"You're not like other guys." Julie said, placing her hand on mine.

"I'm not? Okay, I know I'm not athletically skilled, but I am skilled in Physics, okay?" I whined.

"No, Milton." She inched closer towards me. "I mean you're…way better than other guys."

"And you're way better than other girls, Julie." I smiled. She smiled back. We locked eyes, and I stared into her deep brown shimmering orbs. Slowly, I actually found myself doing something I'd never thought I'd do.

Leaning in.

_Closer…_

_Closer…_

"_It's Rudy, Rudy, Rudy! It's Rudy, Rudy, Rudy! Answer your phone!" _

I jumped at the sound of my ringtone, and quickly pulled away from Julie. Staring at her apologetically, I irritably pounded my finger on the "talk" button and hastily brought it to my ears.

"Sorry Julie." I said sadly.

"It's totally cool…go on, answer it." She smiled reassuringly. I clicked the talk button on my phone.

"What do you want Rudy, I'm in the middle of a date!" I hissed in frustration.

"Milton! I have bad news! Jerry just called me and said that Jack and Kim are in danger…like we-don't-know-where-they-are kind of danger!"

"Wait…what?" I yelled in concern. "What happened? Do you know anything?"

"I'm not sure, but just meet Jerry, Eddie and me at the top floor of The Eiffel Tower…Jerry and Eddie think that they could be there. Drake did something to them."

"Oh my god." I breathed.

"Yeah. So just get here quick! Like, fast! Like—"

"I get it!" I screamed. "Bye Rudy." And I hung up the phone before I could get another stupid lecture from Rudy. I immediately got up from my seat, and faced Julie, as she caught my arm.

"Milton, is everything okay? What happened?" Julie asked, concerned.

"I'm sorry Julie, but I need to go…my friends need help." I said. "I'm sorry for blowing off on our first date in weeks."

"Wait; hang on…who needs help?" Julie asked.

"Jack and Kim. According to Rudy, they're in 'danger'." I said. Her eyes widened.

"Then I'm coming with you." She stated. "I'm their friends too, you know."

With a sigh, I reluctantly nodded. "Alright. Let's go."

And we dashed off to The Eiffel Tower.

Where rather than going there to admire one of the wonders of the world.

I'm going to rescue my two best friends.

_Let's hope this was worth me having to interrupt my oh-so-close first kiss. _

JACK

_This damn little closet is driving me nuts. _

_I hate this. _

_I want to get out of here. _

I stared at Kim, who had fallen asleep on my chest, with her golden locks hiding her face, muttering something quietly under her breath. I attempted to sleep myself, yet there were too many thoughts that was angrily running through my head to even shut my eyes for longer than a second. My head had still throbbed painfully from the metal rod Drake had smacked me with, and my jetlag had come into play with my sleep deprivation, causing my heavy eyelids to shut every now and then.

Yet they would just rise back up.

With my "where's the clue hidden" mindset springing back into action.

I could still feel the scroll scrunched up in my pocket, just screaming at me to open it once more. Of course if I did do that it would be kind of stupid, considering it was a sea of pitch-black darkness in this room.

_I'll think about that stupid clue later…_

And my eyelids slowly begin to collapse to somewhat of a good-night's sleep.

_Well good night Jack—_

"AAAH!"

My eyelids sprang back open as I saw a petrified Kim shoot up from her sleep, hyperventilating with sweat beading down her temples. With an irritated groan, she buried her face in her knees, slightly cradling back and forth.

I've _never _seen like this.

While she was on the verge of regulating her breathing, I inched a bit closer towards her, patting her shoulder comfortingly. She shot her head up, giving me a frustrated, but trembling sigh.

"Bad dream?" I asked. She let out a quivering sigh, and nodded.

"Unfortunately…._again._" Kim breathed. "This time…I…I saw it."

"Saw what?"

"I saw who it was." Her eyes suddenly bulged out of her head, as if she was remembering her nightmare in her head…whatever it was.

_Wait…what is she…? _

_OH. _

"Who was it?" I asked. "First of all…what _happened_? Come on Kim, you need to tell me…as a good friend of yours I deserve to know."

"Not the first time I've seen you go all 'detective' on me." She retorted with a teasing smile on her face.

"But seriously." I said. "I promise I won't tell anyone. You need to get this off your chest…it's the only way you'll stop having nightmares."

She sighed. "It's not that I'm worried about…I do trust you, believe me. I just never told anyone, and I'm…"

"Come on, I took a metal rod for you!" I teased. "You owe me."

"You sure know how to steam my clams, Jack." She said, chortling. I stared at her willingly and she let out a reluctant, frustrated sigh, and dropped her head on my shoulder.

"_Fine._" She moaned. She took a breath. "It was two years ago. I was a part of The Black Dragons at the time, and I finally got my black belt. So, I went with Kelsey, Grace and Kathy to the movies to celebrate, and we went to watch The Paranormal Battle, which was—"

"The prequel to The Paranoid Game…" I finished. "But, what made you get scarred for life?"

"I was getting to that," She snapped rather impatiently. "Anyway, it was halfway into the movie, and there was…there was…" Kim shuddered, and started taking more heavy breaths. "This guy, this psycho-terrorist-like maniac who had threatened a woman who was sitting in the audience for money. And…he had a gun. The movie immediately stopped playing and the theatre just erupted in chaos. The security guards came…but…his psycho friends had guns too."

I took a deep, shaky breath. 12-year-old Kim. At the movies. While there were vicious killers on the loose. What a nice bed-time story.

"Then what happened?" I muttered.

"I couldn't just stand there and see that woman screaming and crying for life with a gun pointed at her face." Kim said softly. "So in my black-belt-pride I stepped into the scene, and asked him to stop. I even attempted at beating him up."

"Of course _you _would do that." I said, slightly smiling.

"Shut up," She teased, shoving my playfully. "And then…the gun…it was…" Her voice trembled with fear.

"You don't need to say it." I said.

She took a deep, timorous breath. "His friends had tackled me to the ground, and pinned me to the floor. I could hear my friends screaming my name, and I was…freaking out. I screamed. I struggled to break free. I cried. But none of it helped. He was about to shoot me…and…everything went black. That's all I remember."

"Well he obviously didn't shoot you?" I attempted to make her feel better. She shot her head up and gave me an icy glare.

"Gee thanks Jack, I feel so much better now." She said icily. She took a deep breath.

"Sorry." I said slightly smiling. "But don't worry…I promise not to take you to the movies if we ever happen to go on a date or something." I smiled challengingly. Even in the darkness, I could see Kim's cheeks color, and giving me an annoyed stare.

"Sure, that'll happen." She teased. She sighed. "I'm just scared if something like that will happen again. Like, during this trip. I've been scarred for life once, and I _don't _want it to happen again…and develop a weakness. That's one of the reasons why I was so…hesitant to go. What if something like that does happen again? But instead…it's too late?" Her voice was trembling with anxiety. I inched closer to her and found her hand to hold.

"Well, I wouldn't let that happen. Ever." I said. Her brown eyes met mine and soon enough, we found our foreheads nearly touching. Our faces were centimeters apart, and our eyes never left each other's gaze. And I found myself once again, leaning in…

_Closer…_

_Closer…_

"_THUMP, THUMP, THUMP!" _

Kim and I shot our heads to the direction of the door, and sprang to our feet. Kim and I exchanged irresolute glances, wondering what to do.

"Jack! Kim! Are you in there?" I heard a muffled voice coming from the other side of the door. From the whimpy, insecure voice, you could infer that the boy hasn't hit puberty yet.

"Of course! They should be! This is where Travis took Kim!" I heard a lower voice with a slight accent.

"I think it's the guys," I hissed at Kim. A smile appeared on her face, and a manic flare grew in her eyes. We rushed to the door and pounded against the wood.

"GUYS! IT'S US! OPEN UP!" We both screamed, banging our fists against the door as much as possible. A sense of relief washed over me

"Oh it really is you! Thank god!" I heard Rudy's voice. "Okay, it's locked from the outside and inside, so just stand back, okay?"

"It's a closet, there's no freaking space in here!" Kim screamed.

"Just step as far as you can!" And with a shrug, Kim and I stepped to the far opposite end of closet, stepping as back as we could. I heard Rudy cry a shriek and a loud "_THUMP!" _resonated from the door.

"Uh, Jack I think…" Kim began.

Seconds later, after a number of creeks echoing, the wooden door toppled to ground, causing Kim and I to glue our bodies to the door as much as we could, jaws dropped and eyes widened. The door revealed a karate-chopping Rudy and a stunned looking Milton, Jerry and Eddie as they gawked at Rudy's door-collapsing skills. They locked eyes with us and wide smiles appeared on their faces.

Wide smiles appeared on mine and Kim's face as well.

We screamed in delight, and ran towards the guys, embracing one another in utter happiness from the fact that we finally got out of that incredibly little, confined closet. Kim jumped and hugged Rudy and screamed with contentment, as Milton, Jerry and Eddie group-hugged me.

"THANK YOU! THANK YOU SO MUCH!" Kim screamed, squeezing Rudy tight. Rudy laughed, and she even went and hugged Eric who had been standing there the whole time his eye fixed on the videotaping. We noticed Julie was there, whom Kim squeezed as well.

"Julie!" Kim squealed. "What are you doing here?" Julie opened her mouth and was about to answer when Kim cut her off. "You know what, whatever, I'm just happy that you're here!" And she brought her in to another hug.

"You have no idea how happy we are that you found us!" I said. "I never lost faith in you Jerry and Eddie."

"Mmmhmm." Jerry and Eddie said in a teasing way. I rolled my eyes.

"So what happened? Who locked you and Kim in there?" Milton asked.

"Drake. And…" Kim's voice trailed off, her face suddenly fell. Jerry and Eddie exchanged wide-eyed shocked looks.

"No way!" Jerry screamed.

"Anyway, Drake even knocked me out unconscious." I stepped in, so she wouldn't have to say that dreadful guy's name. The gang gasped. "And the worst part—"

"It gets _worse_?" Rudy asked, seeming to start to hyperventilate. "Holy Christmas Nuts."

"Hey, that's my catchphrase!" Milton scolded.

"Drake set me up!" Kim blurted. All the eyes were fixed on her now. "The fourth clue isn't hidden in The Eiffel Tower…Drake just played me, and tricked me so he could lure me into this trap that Travis was part of. It's hidden somewhere else in Paris, but I…I don't know where. I'm sorry guys…I totally ditched you all, and I'm sorry for letting you down, and giving you false hopes. Especially you Jack." She turned to me. "You tried to warn me about him, and I didn't listen. And it got you hurt, and we locked in the closet. So, I'm sorry." My eyes softened when looking at Kim's hazel ones, and I was about to say something. Something important.

When Eric cut me off.

"Alright, this is absolutely preposterous!" Eric flew his hands up in the air, ruining the moment. "How could that fool play you like that? Simply awful! I'd like to talk some sense into that boy…British style!"

"Whoa, whoa easy there British boy." Kim said, putting a hand on Eric's chest. "What's happened is happened. We just need to figure out where the clue _really _is."

"Does anyone have the clue on them?" Rudy asked.

"Yeah, maybe I could help figure it out too." Julie asked. "If that's okay with you guys."

"I have it." I said, and pulled it out of my pocket, revealing a crumpled-up scroll. Julie's eyes widened as she snatched the scroll away from me and whacked me on the head.

"_Ow!_" I yelled at Julie. "What was that for?"

"Is this _really_ how you treat ancient papyrus like this? It's all crumpled up! This is not your last-minute homework; _this _is a piece of history! You should be ashamed of yourself!" Julie huffed, as she unraveled the scroll. We all huddled around Julie (something I never pictured actually doing) as we all darted our eyes, re-reading the clue once more.

"_Now you've endured the curses Hawaii gives _

_With spirits lurking and haunting you as you live_

_With landing in our trap, you have found the one-of-a-kind entity_

_That will help you unravel this ambiguous mystery._

_Luckily, we've provided you with a slightly easier destination _

_With it requires skill, intelligence, and determination_

_To find the 4th clue, you must look in a place_

_Where the wonders of the world awaits_

_You could paint this place, or admire the art_

_That's stored in this monument, built with a lot of heart_

_I know this is vague so I will give you a hint_

_It's out of the country, a place where love sprints."_

"Wait a second…" Jerry said, thinking hard—which is frankly something I never thought I'd see him do. "That's our problem! Kim, are you really that stupid?" Kim gave him an icy death-glare, as if she was ready to stab him.

"No, but I know a certain person here who _really _defines stupidity," She retorted.

"Yeah….you!" Jerry said, laughing. Anger flared in Kim's eyes, and her fists were clenched angrily.

"That's it!" She screamed, and started to pounce on Jerry like as if a tiger was attacking its prey. I stepped in yelling "Hey, hey, hey!" and grabbed Kim by the waist, shoving her away. Kim continued to stare Jerry like she was already planning something to kill him with.

"What's our problem Jerry?" Milton asked, stepping in front of Kim, with her having no chance of attacking Jerry.

"Look, it says _you could paint this place or admire the art, that's stored in this monument built with a lot of heart_. It obviously can't be hidden here because there is no piece of famous artwork in here…like you know that hot Italian lady that never smiles? You know the one that…Leonardo Di Caprio painted! Yeah?" We all stared at him quizzically.

"First of all…Leonardo Di Caprio's an actor, you idiot." Eddie snapped. "And what hot Italian lady are you talking about?"

"Wait…" I said thinking hard. "I think Jerry might be on to something."

"No Jack, Leonardo Di Caprio isn't in Paris at the moment." Eric said. "He's in Australia filming his new movie…duh!" I rolled my eyes.

"Not that!" I said in frustration. "I mean, if it's not hidden in the Eiffel Tower, then it's got to be hidden in a place with artwork."

"Wow, I was right?" Jerry said in astonishment. "Aw yeah, like a boss! Wooo!"

"Wait a second…" Milton chimed in, thinking hard. "Leonardo Di Caprio? Jerry…were you just talking about the Mona Lisa? Painted by Leonardo _Da Vinci_?"

"If the Mona Lisa is a portrait of the hot Italian babe that never smiles, then yes I was talking about her." Jerry said. "Why?"

"Guys, Jerry just actually made a breakthrough!" Milton cheered with excitement. "Think about it…the Mona Lisa is one of the most famous paintings of all time…a piece of artwork…and it's right here in Paris in—"

"The Louvre Museum!" Kim screamed, smiling widely. "Yes!" She high-fived Jerry and Milton in delight.

"Jerry…you're a genius!" I said, laughing at Jerry.

"I know…" Jerry said cockily, adjusting his collar for emphasis. "Today's just my day, yo! I even took down Drake and his minions down at the lobby!"

"Mmhmm." Kim said, rolling her eyes playfully.

"No seriously!" Eddie stepped in. "I was there too! And I took down a few, but Jerry was like…on fire man!" We all high-fived Jerry, who had a big, shimmering smile on his face. It was actually _nice _to see Jerry so happy, like a…hero. It almost made me feel guilty inside…we often under-rate this kid. We take Jerry for granted.

When really…

He's capable of so much more.

"Jerry, I am really proud of you today." Rudy said, patting his back. Jerry continued grinning widely.

"Aw…what a sweet moment!" Eric said. "Our little Latino in the gang has chosen to shine!"

"Anyway," Kim said, smiling at Eric. "So, we need to think of a way to get the clue as soon as possible…without Drake and Travis spotting us."

"You know, maybe I could help!" Julie chimed in. "My adventurer's group is actually visiting the Louvre Museum tomorrow evening…"

"Oh yeah! Do you think we could sneak in and blend in with your group?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'll work it out with them. I'm sure they wouldn't mind." Julie smiled. We all cheered in excitement.

"Thanks Julie!" Eddie said. "See Milton, your girlfriend is finally coming to use." Milton smacked him.

"Shut it!" He scolded. We all rolled our eyes in disbelief.

"Alright, guys now that we've got our dojo members back, let's go back into our hotel room, and get some shut eye." Rudy said. "We're going to need to keep our brains fresh and healthy if we want to figure out where the clue is…that museum is pretty big." And with that, everybody started walking to the exit, with Milton having his arm around Julie, and Eddie pleading Rudy if they could stop for a smoothie or something. Jerry stopped Kim and I and raised his eyebrows in a ridiculous way.

"So…what happened in there?" Jerry asked in a silly voice, his eyes darting repeatedly to Kim and me. We shoved him towards the exit, my face burning uncontrollably. Laughing, Jerry shrugged it off and promenaded his way to the bottom of the tower. Kim trailed behind Jerry, when I took her hand and stopped her. She faced me curiously with those big brown eyes, and her blonde, tangled bangs covering her face.

"Everything okay?" Kim asked.

"Yeah, I just need to ask you something." I said. She nodded, beckoning me to continue.

"You never told me who the guy was…you know the guy who had the gun…and kind of almost killed you."

Kim's face had suddenly paled, and she broke away from our "locking-eyes" moment, shutting them tight, seeming to wince as she played it all back in her head. She took deep, quivering breaths which started to worry me.

"Um…it was…" She mumbled softly.

"JACK! KIM!" I heard Rudy scream from the interior of the building. "LET'S GO!" She met my eyes again, and they were filled with fear, and utter ordeal.

"We should go." Kim said, attempting to mask on a smile. I nodded a bit reluctantly. Not even waiting for a response she dashed off into the building screaming "Coming Rudy!" so Rudy wouldn't have to scream at the top of his lungs again.

Leaving me all alone in the terrace.

So, maybe I wouldn't find out more about Kim's crazy, life-changing, frightening, but epic saga _today_.

But I will eventually.

Because right now…

We're closer than ever.

* * *

><p><strong>AN-Okay, before I get into my normal chapter-recap, I need to ask you guys this: Is this getting too long for you? If it is, I'm really sorry, but the reason why my chapters are so long, is because I try to fit in as much as I can in one chapter. This plotline is extremely big, so if I divide this into shorter chapters, it'll be like more than 40 chapters which is scary. But if it gets too long for people, I'll try to shorten it. **

**Anyway, hope you liked this chapter! Yes, I did make Jerry shine in this chapter. Thanks to my good friend away-to-the-water with her phenomenal Jerry one-shots, she made me fall in love with him even more, so I let Jerry take the spotlight…and I was pretty direct with it if you noticed. I even made a direct reference to one of away-to-the-water's Jerry one-shots? Anyone can guess which one? So, yes Jerry did actually take down Drake and his minions, and did kind of did figure out where the clue was…I also figured it was time Jerry had some character development in this fic, so yeah. Hope you enjoyed that Ariana! This chapter was for you! **

**But I did keep my good, somewhat intense KICK in there. If you guys are totally pissed off that they're never kissing, well…be patient! They WILL kiss soon I promise you that! When the time is right my fellow Kick-hungry fans…when the time is right. ;) And yes, the clue is hidden in THE LOUVRE MUSEUM. And this time, they didn't misinterpret it. So, hopefully you guys are excited for that! It's going to be very 'swasome'. **

**So PLEASE REVIEW! It is my birthday today, if that helps…it would be an amazing birthday present if I got a good amount of reviews for this chapter! So review! I love to hear your thoughts!**

**I'll see you all later with my next update which will come soon…I hope I won't make you have to wait two weeks! We'll see…**

_**Always have faith in faith. **_

_**Forever. **_

**Peace and love, **

**~Taylor :)**


	12. The End?

**A/N-Hi everyone! Yes, I'm finally back with my update on The Hunt! Sorry it took so long…I fell horribly sick, so I didn't have the energy to write. Luckily, I managed to put this all together for you all, so I hope you enjoy it! Before we begin, let me just take the time to say this: **

**Thank you all SO much for all the birthday wishes on my birthday! They all just made my day, with the chapter dedications, the wishes and the comments through the reviews! Thank you guys so much, seriously, you have NO idea how much that meant to me…I seemed to have gotten more meaningful wishes here than at school so thank you so much! I love you all! I also want to thank you guys for reviewing on Chapter 11—I got 30 REVIEWS for that! My goodness that's the most I've gotten EVER! SO THANK YOU GUYS! To celebrate, I'm going to do a shout-out to everyone who reviewed on chapter 11. So thank you, once again, to: **

**AlphaBetaSoup, Kickin Taylor, Ela, kick4eternity, LetTheMindRunWild, uniquemusician, Supahanimelover, HAPPY, away-to-the-water, DeathGlares'n'Kisses, maya21, sportygirl11, BubbleGumBoyLover77, Tosinoxo, BringingTheFun, Kamila, anony, 123khanie, sleepuntiltomorrow, agirlwhostandsintheshadows, Chio, TheOppositeOfOptimistic, orellanaashley, Pahul, ShakeItUpWriter, fashionandstylegurl, yellowsunx, and lastly LiveLaughDance11. **

**So thank you to these guys so much! Enjoy the chapter! **

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12: The End?<strong>

* * *

><p><span>KIM<span>

"Whoa." We all breathed in unison.

Was this for real?

Was this a dream?

It seemed too good to be true.

Here we were in the evening sky with our jaws dropped in awe and with smiles spread across our faces. It was me, Jack, the guys, Julie and the rest of her Summer Adventurer's Club (who were all girls), standing in front of one of the most beautiful historical monuments of all time, staring at it in astonishment.

The Louvre Museum was…_breath-taking. _

The shards of broad daylight cheerily reflected through the shimmering glass pyramid, and slowly the golden lights inside glistened, making the pyramid like a gigantic triangular light bulb. Behind the massive glass pyramid, stood the actual Louvre Palace where the artwork was actually housed in, with intricate designs molded onto the beautiful architecture. The palace was huge and very-well designed. And lastly behind all of that was what made this moment so cherishable so captivating, so…perfect. Well, to me, anyway.

The sky.

The soft, pastel shades of pink, orange, purple, blue blended together in the background as the clouds floated by here and there, making the entire scene look like it was somehow edited using Photoshop.

But nobody changed it.

It was nature.

It was…real.

"Wow! I can't believe we're actually here! This is like a dream come true! Not gonna cry…not gonna cry!" Milton wailed happily fanning his eyes with his hands, grabbing a handkerchief to blow his nose in. Julie giggled, resting her head comfortingly on his shoulder, which obviously made him smile. We were all standing close together, wearing all possible accessories like sunglasses, or scarves, or hats to stay incognito. For Eric, it was easy for him to remain disguised, as he always wore some sort of accessory like a hat or scarf, and always had his eyes glued to the camera…like right now as he's capturing the view of The Louvre Museum.

"This place looks dope, yo!" Jerry exclaimed. "I'm taking all the pictures I can…like a—"

"BOSS, WE GET IT!" Eddie screamed in frustration. "You're not even boss, so shut up!"

"And you are?" Jerry countered. "Yeah, in your dreams Fat Child." Eddie crossed his arms and was about to argue back.

"Okay, let's not argue about who's boss and who's not…" Jack chimed in. "Because neither of you are. Clearly, I'm the one that is boss here, so…suck it up!" He had a childish grin on his face. I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, you know what? None of you are boss!" Rudy barged. "I'm the boss here, considering I'm the adult here! So _you _suck it up!"

"GUYS!" I screamed. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, we're standing right in front of the world's most top art museum, and you argue about which one is_ boss_?" Julie shuddered in disgust. "Typical men. See, this is why I prefer Milton over you…disgusting boys."

"Hey!" They all screamed in unison.

"Look, if we don't go in there and find that clue any sooner, we're done and we can say goodbye to that ultimate prize and finding that sword for Bobby! So quit it with the lame arguments and _move it_."

"Well, _somebody's _been PMS'ing pretty bad." Jerry said. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment as I heard the stupid girls from Julie's adventurer's group giggle, which caused me to punch him hardly on the arm, _which_ caused him to do his famous girl shriek.

"Let's just go." I growled, and we both started walking into the pyramid which was fascinating as I'd never really walked into a pyramid before. Rudy continued to argue with Jerry and Eddie about who's boss and who's not, which really aggravated me. Milton walked with Julie and her Summer Adventurer's group as they took all the pictures they could before they step into the art museum—you can't take pictures in there—and Eric continued rotating his camera all around. I walked with Jack, and I could feel his eyes fall on me.

"So Sherlock, where's the clue hidden?" He teased. I looked up at him, and rolled my eyes playfully.

"I have no idea…where would they hide a clue in an art museum?" I asked, as we walked inside the main entrance, with many people hustling about.

"Maybe in one of the pieces of artworks?" Jack suggested. I gave him a look.

"Right, because the museum has no problem with them tampering with priceless paintings." I said sarcastically. He rolled his eyes playfully.

"It was just a suggestion, chill. What's with the attitude?" He asked, conveying a smile.

"Sorry…I'm just a bit stressed that's all." I said, staring at the large interior of the museum. "This museum is huge. How are we supposed to find _one _little piece of paper in a place as big as this?"

"We'll find it, don't worry." He smiled. "We just need to keep our eyes open, that's all."

While Jack's words of encouragement had always enlightened me in the past and made me feel better, this time it didn't.

Milton, Jerry, Eddie, Rudy and Eric approached Jack and me and had an apprehensive look on his face. "Guys! I have bad news!"

_Crud. _

"What? Are Drake and/or Travis in here?" Jack asked.

"No, but the Louvre Museum is closing in forty-five minutes! We need to get the clue fast!"

"What? Then why did Julie and her stupid Summer Adventurer's club chose _now _to come here in the first place?" I retorted.

"Hey, they're not stupid! Don't blame them! They didn't know…" Milton said. I rolled my eyes.

"They are kind of stupid." Jerry said.

"Look who's talking!" Milton countered. Jerry seemed taken aback as we all nodded in agreement.

"Great." Jack groaned. "I say we split up. Milton, you go with Julie and her little nerd patrol—"

"Hey!" Milton protested.

"Rudy and Eric will go with Jerry and Eddie…and I'll go with Kim. I say we meet back here in a half hour, hopefully being able to find the clue. And if it's not there, then we know it's over."

"Wait, wait whoa." Eric chimed in. "No offense¸ but Jerry and Eddie bore me, and I'm sure will bore all the watchers out there as well. Not the most interesting subject in the Bobby Wasabi San Jose dojo."

"Hey!" Jerry and Eddie yelled. "We're not boring! If anything, we're swasome, okay? And you know what swasome means Eric? That's right—swag _and _awesome. Like a—"

"JERRY!" We all screamed. He pouted his lips and crossed his arms.

"I prefer to go with Jack and Kim." Eric fixed his eyes on me and Jack. "They're much more of an interesting subject."

"Um, that's okay we're totally—" I started.

"Fine." Jack said reluctantly. I gave him a piercing look.

"What? I don't want to go with him!" I hissed in Jack's ear.

"The more the better okay? Maybe he can help us." Jack hissed back. I nodded reluctantly, and with a roll of my eyes, pulled Eric's shirt on our side, and we exchanged glances.

"Alright guys." Rudy said. "We all have our cellphones, right? I'll call you in case of emergencies. This 'responsible for five kids' thing is getting harder than I thought." He exasperated. We all nodded, pulling our cell phones out of our pocket for proof.

"Okay, good. So what do you say guys?" Jack let his hand out in the middle of our little huddle. "Wasabi?"

And with our hands colliding on top of another, we screamed the name we had lived by since the day we all first met, so we could go into a separate ways to find that clue.

"WASABI!"

MILTON

I think I'm in heaven.

With Julie, and her Summer Adventurer's group, we slowly pranced around the Chinese Art exhibit that was displayed in this museum, with my eyes drifting this way and that in utter reverence. While the room was a bit small to hold over 30 pieces of Chinese artwork, it seemed to be more than enough to capture all its beauty. The large, framed paintings stood proudly on the walls, all with different themes succumbed to each and every wonderfully painted piece. While we were on a wild-goose chase to search for the fourth clue with only a limited amount of time, my mind couldn't help but fall under the spell of China's extraordinary artwork.

"Milton, look at that one!" Julie exclaimed, pointing to one of the paintings. The watercolor canvas portrayed a scene of a waterfall, with rocks and flowers detailing the sides. The way the artist had dabbed the color created a gentle aura to the painting, seeming very intelligent to me. Chinese hieroglyphs were vertically written on the side…words even I couldn't decipher.

"Ooh, ooh I know what that means!" One of Julie's friends cheered gleefully. The girl had pin straight jet-black hair that flew over her shoulders, and glasses planted on her face, yet I will admit, she looked cute…like little-girl type cute. "It's saying, 'do what comes natural'...which explains why the artist chose to dab to a natural scene with the waterfall, rocks, and flowers."

"Wow, how did you know what that meant?" I asked.

"Oh, I'm Chinese." She yelped. Her voice was in a quiet, yet cheerful tone. "My name is Cindy. Cindy Zhao. Mandarin was my first language. I even learned some curse words in Mandarin." She giggled.

"Heh heh…Zhao." I chuckled. "That's a funny last name."

"Milton!" Julie scolded. I stared at Cindy apologetically, who seemed to be infuriated at the moment.

"_Nǐ zěnme gǎn! __Dee-ou lay, lon yerng_!" She hissed in Chinese. Two Chinese-looking girls in the group gasped in horror, which only made me more confused. Although, I could infer that she didn't say something nice.

"What did you say to him?" Julie questioned cautiously.

"You don't want to know." Cindy said, and with a cold-stone glare in my direction she went back to the rest of the group.

"Okay, let's just see if the clue is here somewhere." I said, bringing us back into topic. With a nod, the group set off in different directions, looking underneath the benches in the room to see if it was taped underneath, and scanning the walls to see if perhaps it was attached near a certain painting. I ended up crawling on the ground while battling other people's legs, as they had fixed their gazes onto the artwork.

_Where could it be? Where could it—_

"_THUMP!" _

"GAH!" I screamed, clutching my head in pain. I made eye-contact with what I bumped into, and noticed that I had collided with…a mini podium?

_Smooth, Milton…smooth._

I stood up, and I saw Julie and her friends walk over to where I was standing. I had come face-to-face with yet another watercolor painting. Yet it wasn't a picture of nature-related things this time. For in this picture epitomized the scene of a brave warrior—with scars all over his body, and a sharp sword gripped in his hand with blood splattered at the tip of the sword. At the side of the canvas there was Chinese calligraphy scripted vertically. I stared at the podium, and on it was a small paragraph with a picture of a sword on it. It read:

"_Swords__ have a long __history__ in __China__. Chinese group all __swords__ into two types, __Jian__ (__劍__) and __Dao__ (__刀__). __Jian__ are dual edged and Dao are single edged. Legend has it that those who had found swords that had belonged in the past Chinese dynasties must keep the sword at rest. If it is in the wrong hands, and the sword is being misused for unethical reasons, will be severely punished by the Chinese ancestors. Some of the swords have been used for great battles, therefore holds spiritual power. Only those who have pure intentions will release its genuine potential." _

"Whoa!" Cindy exclaimed. "That's amazing. Somebody quick, write this down!" And one girl in the group took out their notebook and paper and furiously started writing down things.

"That's a…interesting picture." Julie said, looking at it weirdly. I nodded in agreement. However, it wasn't the picture that was really bothering me—I've seen worse. It was that word that was engraved in black, watery ink for generations. It was familiar.

"危机

等待"

"Cindy…what does that word mean?" I asked. Cindy squinted her eyes at the painting, as the word was written a bit small, deciphering what it meant.

"_Wēijī __děngdài_." Cindy read. "It means 'crisis awaits'. Why?"

I gave Cindy a worried look. Julie looked puzzled when looking at my petrified expression. "Milton? What's wrong?"

I stared at the clock, noticing that there were only twenty minutes left until the museum closed.

I cast a glance towards Julie, who put a comforting hand on my shoulder—which unfortunately didn't help. Because now that I know the meaning of that word that's been constantly following us, some of the pieces began to fall together. And judging by the very short amount of time we have, it was almost like that centuries-old painting was sending us a message.

"I think _we_ have a crisis that awaits."

JERRY

"Look at_ that_." I breathed in Eddie's ear.

Eddie, Rudy and I were in the main exhibit of the Louvre Museum, with the hopes of seeing possibly a sign or an arrow that would indicate where the clue was hidden. Then again—why would they do such a redundant thing? Practically giving us where the clue is? Stupid Jerry, stupid.

I _wish _they did, though.

Because I'm getting absolutely tired of this…what about you?

The exhibit we were currently in seemed to be the most popular exhibit with a large group of people beginning to form a congested crowd as the group gets larger and larger, just aching to see the painting they've all been waiting for. The more people added to the crowd, the more it seemed impossible to find that clue with a short amount of time we had before the museum closes.

Yet I still had that sheer confidence that the clue is hidden in _this_ exhibit.

I mean what's a better place to look than the painting that started it all?

That's right.

The Hot Italian Lady that never smiles.

The Mona Lisa.

The three of us stared at the painting in awe. A glass chamber covered the priceless art piece, and it stood on the wall, yet it was still surrounded by crowd-control ropes. A number of people swarmed by, staring at the picture in utter disbelief and amazement. While we only had twenty minutes until the Louvre Museum closed we _did _have to keep looking.

Yet we couldn't help but stop and stare.

"Hey Eddie, Jerry stand by the painting, I'll take a picture." Rudy smiled giddily. He dug the camera out of his man-purse (or as he claims it a satchel) and brought the camera to his face. Eddie and I stood closer together a bit awkwardly (and in the most heterosexual way) and smiled into the camera ready to take a picture with Mona Lisa…

"_Sacre Bleu! _Hey! Hey you!" I heard a wheezy, loud voice boom from the other side of the room. Rudy cringed at the sound of the voice, and turned his head. The old man had a heavy French accent. "No flash photography whatsoever with ze Mona Lisa! You foolish Americans with your stupid technology! Can you not read the sign?" He pointed to the sign next to him which had a picture of a camera with a large cross over it.

"Alright, alright we're sorry." Rudy said irritably, putting the camera in his bag, pouting his lip. "Hey guys, keep looking okay? I need to call Milton and Eric, see how they're holding up." And with that, Rudy walked away, dialing numbers on his cellphone. Eddie and I started looking around, but first taking one last long look at the Mona Lisa.

"You know…for some odd reason, this reminds me of Grace." Eddie said dreamily as he stared into the painting. I gave him a weird look.

"Why?" I asked, bewildered. "She looks _nothing _like Grace. At least Grace smiles."

_Yeah, a pretty one at that. _

"Not like that!" Eddie scolded. "Grace loves the Louvre Museum. In fact, Paris is her favorite place of all time. That's what she told me the last time we went on a date to park…which was the only time."

"I'm telling you, you're a good guy and all, but Grace just isn't your type. You need girls who are unathletic, and shy. Not her…Grace is funny, smart, athletic and is confident about herself." Eddie's face fell as soon as I said that, which made me feel guilty.

"Well then what are you saying? That _you're_ her type?" Eddie asked.

Am I?

Hey, I'm athletic, okay? I've gotten loads better at Karate, just ask anyone! Funny…um, hell yeah. Nobody's a better class clown than I am. I have a pranking _history. _Confident about myself—I think I'm the sexiest guy on the planet. How's that confidence for you?

The only thing I lack on that list is intelligence.

Okay, so what if I'm not the _best _at school? I'm street smart—that's all you need to survive in this world.

But wait…do I _want _to be her type?

"No," I said, my answer coming out a bit forced. Eddie's shoulders seemed to have slightly eased, and he exhaled in relief. "I just don't think she's your type, that's all."

"Whatever, we haven't even talked about a second date anyway." Eddie said sadly, causing me to feel a bit guilty. "But where has she been? I haven't seen her since we were in New York…do you think she got disqualified?"

"I hope not." I blurted. Then realizing what I just said, I added quickly "Because then we won't get to beat their sorry butts, and win that prize money, duh!"

Eddie laughed, puzzled. "Let's just keep looking, Jerry. I'll go this way, you go that way." And with that, Eddie and I split in opposite directions, looking under benches, next to paintings, or on the floor to see if the clue was possibly there. So far, I wasn't able to find anything, and I thought that I was hopeless…

When I bumped into someone.

"Yo, watch where you're going bro!" I screamed, but when I made eye-contact with the person I bumped into, my eyes dilated in shock.

The girl had pin-straight coffee-brown hair that fell graciously over her shoulders, and looked at me with twinkling, innocent brown eyes in a bit of shock, mixed in with…pleasure. A small, subtle smile curved on her lips as she realized who I was.

And as my brain was able to process who she was, a shocked, subtle smile curved up my face as well.

"Jerry?" She said in a bit of shock.

"G-Grace?" I stammered in disbelief. Her cheeks slightly colored. Ever since that whole fight with Kim, she's been a whole other person. It's like I've met a new Grace…a Grace I'm starting to think about more and more each day.

"What are you doing here?" She asked me.

"Oh, you know places to go…people to see…" I murmured. "What are _you _doing here?"

She rolled her eyes. "Jerry, you don't need to lie, unlike you I'm not stupid. I know you're looking for the clue."

"Well…how do you not know I'm looking for…you?" I attempted. Her cheeks turned into an intense shade of red.

"Because I know you don't stalk me…hopefully." She said.

"You didn't answer my question."

"What question?"

"What are you doing here?"

Grace suddenly turned away, no longer meeting my eyes, thinking of a response to say. "Um…I have to go, I'm looking for my dad. See you later, Jerry." And with a quick apologetic glance, she sprinted away before I could say anything else. Maybe I would've told her how Kim won't stop talking about her. Maybe I would've told her how we shouldn't let this Hunt come between our friendship, since she's stopped talking to me ever since this whole Hunt thing got started. And maybe, just maybe I would've told her I missed her.

But I didn't.

Instead I ran to the guy who's not going to believe who else is searching for the clue.

"EDDIE!"

KIM

It was official: this museum is _way_ too big.

After countless exhibits of searching and observation, we still hadn't found where the clue was hidden. The fatigue expressed through my legs as they ached horribly from all the walking. I longed for a bed so I could just collapse and fall into a deep, pleasant slumber, and rest my legs without having to walk anymore. Of course, with only fifteen minutes remaining until the museum closes, I couldn't afford to sleep. Neither could Jack or Eric who looked extremely tired as well. Jack looked like he was ready to pass out on the spot, while Eric _finally _decided to shut his stupid tech equipment for once.

We lumbered into the interior ground floor of the Louvre pyramid, where the crowd was thankfully minimal. You could see the glass triangular shapes on top as the roof, making the area of the room as large as the pyramid. There were many marble statues posted throughout the room, and a large fountain was placed in the middle. There were a few sets of wide marble stairs, and there were even a few flower beds and plants. Some of the statues that stood were statues of men on horses that stood on top of porcelain or marble cinder-block type pedestals with a wide frame along the side, so wide one could just sit and relax for a bit. Overall, the place seemed really serene and relaxing, with a strong temptation to sit on the pedestals or the stairs and relax for a while.

Of course, we didn't have the time for that.

Heck, we didn't even have time to even stand for a while.

"Let's face it." Jack started, as Eric irritably got out his camera to capture the view of the scene. "We're too late. We've looked _everywhere _and we can't find it anywhere. We're done, Kim."

"No we're not!" I yelled at Jack defensively. "We can't just be done, okay? Don't lose hope."

"Look around!" Jack yelled. "Do you see a clue anywhere?"

"No, but that just means we have to keep looking!" I said. "I'm not going to just give up and go home because _someone _is lazy to just walk a few more feet." Jack rolled his eyes.

"I'm not lazy; I'm just facing the fact, and actually using my brain unlike _someone." _Jack snapped. I felt taken aback and his rude insult, with a bit of hurt flooding through my body. Rather than letting myself give into my mixed emotions, I gave him a penetrating stare.

"Ooh, loving the drama! Keep it going!" I just realized Eric had been focusing a camera on us the entire time. I shook my head in disbelief and frustration.

"Look, if you're really going to be a jerk and a whimp and give up that easily, fine by me. I'll just look for it myself." And with a flip of my heel, I stomped away from Jack and Eric, and with the ten minutes remaining began searching near the fountain and in other places for the clue. Suddenly, I was feeling an immense load of pressure, as no one was there to help me.

Not even Jack.

Away from Jack's eyesight, I sat on the benches, where I was right next to a statue of a horse, with the head staring right at me. I cupped my face in my hands helplessly, almost feeling like breaking down since the clue was nowhere to be found. Like Jack had said—we searched the Louvre Museum top to bottom. We looked under benches, on floors, on walls; on those podiums with the information about the painting on it…it was out of sight.

So…is it really over?

Was this all really a waste of time?

Are we done?

I cast a glance towards the horse statue, with the cemented white, yet beady eyes staring right me…almost as if it was mocking me, with that grin curling on his mouth.

_I've officially gone crazy. _

"What are you looking at?" I questioned the inanimate horse, twisting my head for emphasis. It continued staring at me with that…ambiguous smile, and cemented eyes. Rolling my eyes, I pointlessly grabbed the marble head with my hands, trying to move the statue away from me, so I wouldn't have to look at that horse's mocking expression.

I tried twisting the head of the horse, with the purpose of the thing not staring right at me while I'm drowning in misery…

Instead the horse responded…a bit weirdly.

The horse's head had twisted.

Gasping, I quickly took my hands away, now looking at a horse whose head is tilted to the side in a slanted position. My heart started thumping apprehensively in my chest, and butterflies fluttered in my stomach.

Did I just break it?

"Oh, there you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!" My head shot up in the direction, coming face-to-face with a guilty looking Jack. All I did was merely scowl at him, and continue staring at the damage I'd just done to the sculpture.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked. I didn't respond. My eyes were wide in shock, still seeing the horse's demented figure that I caused.

"Look Kim, I know you're probably really mad at me right now." Jack started. I rolled my eyes in frustration. "But I'm sorry for getting all mad at you. I was just really frustrated that we haven't found the clue and the museum closes in like…seven minutes. But I shouldn't have taken it out on you, so sorry."

No response.

"Oh, I get it…" Jack said. I almost sighed in relief, that he finally understood why I hadn't been responding, and why I'd been so preoccupied.

"The silent treatment." I slapped my hand on my forehead. "Fine. Two can play at that game."

_Jack, you can be such an idiot sometimes. _

I shot my head up, making eye contact with him. "Really? The lopsided horse _still _hasn't brought your attention?" I made hand gestures towards the broken horse, which caused Jack's eyes to widen in shock.

"What…did…you…do?" He asked. He ran closer towards the statue, examining it a bit closer. I cupped my face in my hands once more.

"I don't know! I was just mad at the horse for staring at me like a freak, so I just pretended to turn it, but I didn't think it would break, and actually turn! Like seriously, what kind of a statue turns its head? I was just angry, because you technically called me dumb before, and then I tried looking for it over here, but I didn't find anything which just made me angrier, and I was also really, really tired which got me even angrier, and then the horse started killing me with that mocking glare so I was like—"

"KIM!" Jack screamed.

Taking a deep breath, I paused on my rambling, and fixed my eyes on Jack whose mouth formed a perfect little "O".

"What?" I barked.

"You didn't break it! Look!" He said a bit cheerfully. "I think the head was supposed to turn like that for a reason. Because check this out—" He knocked on the statue. "—it's hollow. There's something in here!"

I turned to the statue, and I saw Jack continuing to twist the horse's head like a screw. My jaw dropped.

_No freaking way. _

I ran up to him, and started helping him to loosen the head on the statue. "Jack, what if we break it?" I asked. "What if there's nothing in there?"

Jack sighed and looked at me, as he continued twisting the heavy marble. "It's a chance we're going to have to risk."

I sighed and nodded as we continued spinning the head of the statue. My hands were on one side, and his were on the other, occasionally bumping into eachother sending electrifying tingles down my spine. I could sense Jack throwing me a glance here and there, as if he was going to say something but didn't.

Before I could say anything, we heard a click.

From the horse.

The head seemed to be loose enough, and I carefully took the horse out of the slot and into my hands, revealing a headless statue, which almost looked scary, as if I was the one to behead it. With a hesitant flinch, Jack reached into the statue, shifting his hands inside the body. I held onto the horse's head securely with the hopes of not dropping it.

Suddenly a smile curved on Jack's lips, and he pulled something out of the statue.

"Did you find anything?"

And he pulled out a scrolled up piece of paper entitled "The Hunt: Clue #4".

"YES!" I jumped up and down cheerfully. "We found it! We—"

My hands suddenly lost its firm grip of the horse's head, and it was about to tumble out of my fingers when I saw Jack impulsively reach out to grab it, helping the head to draw back to my rigid grip.

And his hands toppled on top of mine.

And our eyes caught in the moment.

We stared into eachothers eyes, my eyes getting lost into his chocolate pools. His hands continued to stay on top of mine, the only thing coming in between us being the head of the statue. Breaking the moment, I silently laughed, which ultimately caused Jack to reluctantly join in.

"Kim…I'm sorry." He blurted suddenly. "For being a jerk earlier."

I nodded in acceptance. "Don't worry about it. I'm just happy we found the clue so now you quit being Cranky Jack." He laughed, and I smiled.

"Oh! You two are bringing me in absolute tears!" I heard Eric's voice. I shot my head up, and I could feel Jack's hand release from mine abruptly. I rolled my eyes, as I saw Eric shut his video camera—hopefully for the last time.

"Must you record _everything_?" I asked.

"Yes, Kimberly dear, yes I must." Eric said. "Would you rather have me force you two into kissing?"

"NO!" Jack and I both screamed in unison. Eric chuckled with a smirk on his face. He gave me a weird look as he saw me carry the head.

"Oh—here," I tossed him the cement head with a bit more leverage. "Do something _useful _for once, and put the head back on that statue over there."

"Wait…but why—"

"Just do it."

With a mere shrug, Eric pranced towards the statue, and started screwing the horse's head back into its rightful place. Jack and I slapped eachothers hands in victory, as the scroll was crunched in his hands.

"Nice work, Sherlock." I said, smirking.

"I could make a good detective, couldn't I?" Jack said smiling. Before I could respond, a voice abruptly boomed through the speakers that resonated throughout the museum.

"Attention everyone—the Louvre Museum is now officially closed. Slowly the exhibits will begin to shut down, so kindly make your way towards the exit please. We hope you enjoyed the fine arts that were displayed in this museum. _Au revoir_ and _bonne __journée_!"

"Alright, let's just wait for the guys to come here, since the exit is over here." Jack said. He held out the scroll. "In the meantime—"

"Hey guys!" We heard Jerry and Eddie yell from the other side. We both shot our heads up, and saw Jerry and Eddie walk up towards us, followed by Milton, Julie and her Summer Adventurer's group, who all stared at us with anxiety.

"We didn't find anything!" Eddie wailed. "Nothing!"

"But I found out the most interesting thing!" Jerry said willingly.

"We're so sorry!" Milton cried, clutching his chest melodramatically and breathing back and forth. "We failed you!"

"Guys!" I screamed. I pointed to what Jack was holding. Their worried frowns turned into bright smiles.

"THANK YOU!" Rudy cheered, hugging Jack and me. "You just saved me from a legit heart attack!"

"You found it?" Julie cheered. "Where?"

"In a horse!" Jack exclaimed. They all gave Jack and I puzzled looks.

"Never mind." Jack continued. "The important thing is that we found it, and now we can finally—"

"KICK! THEM! OUT!" We heard a voice coming from the other side of the room. All our heads shot up, and we came face-to-face with two guys. One not so familiar. Another very, _very_ familiar.

I found myself slightly hiding behind Jack at the sight of the familiar boy.

_What am I doing? _

"What's going on here?" Jack spat. He eyed the boy with a bit of resent and fear, as the familiar boy gave us _both _a penetrating, killer-like stare. He personally drove his eyes to mine, and gave me a threatening scowl that was so piercing it had almost petrified me.

"Hello you all must be part of the San Jose dojo, am I correct?" The not-so familiar man spoke. Rudy approached him. "Well…not _all _of you." He added.

"Hi I'm their sensei." Rudy said. "What seems to be problem?"

"Sir, I'm one of the agents from The Hunt, the broadcasted competition sponsored by Bobby Wasabi." The man said. He wore a suit, which made his tone seem even more business-like, formal, and not to mention a little too sensible. "I was told by this reliable, kind young man—" He cracked a smile towards the familiar boy. "—oh, by the way what is your name, son?"

The boy exhaled deeply.

And creeped a smile on his face.

"Drake Evans." He smiled. My heart nearly stopped at the sound of his name.

"Yes, yes." The man said. "Anyhow, I was told by Drake there seems to be some foul play lurking among you guys."

"Foul play? Um excuse me, but we're completely fair when it comes to games." I chimed in. "We happen to have really good sportsmanship."

"Yes, yes." The man said once more, giving me a horrid look. "Now, who is _not _part of this dojo?"

Julie's Summer Adventurer's group raised their hands. Along with Julie. The formal guy turned his head to them.

"Have you or have you not been assisting this dojo?" The man asked. Julie looked scared, like she was ready to crawl into a shell.

"Y-yes." She stammered.

"AHA!" Drake accused. "See, Mr. Trainer? I told you—"

"Silence, Drake, I will deal with this." Mr. Trainer said sternly. Drake fell quiet. "Unfortunately, you people haven't read the rules but assistance from outside of the dojo is not permitted."

"Wait, wait but Julie's my girlfriend!" Milton countered. "That's okay, right?"

"Unfortunately, it isn't." Mr. Trainer stated.

"Hey buddy, don't come in between love! Julie just missed her boyfriend that's all!" Jerry exclaimed.

"This Julie maybe this…skinny nerd's girlfriend, however she has still brought even _more _assistance along with her to help in search of the fourth clue."

"Really, Julie…really?" We heard Eddie hiss at Julie. She just gave him a scowl.

"Wait…so what are you saying?" I asked. Mr. Trainer turned to me and heaved a big sigh. A sigh that didn't seem to be friendly.

A sigh that didn't seem to imply good.

"Your dojo is now hereby disqualified from The Hunt."

* * *

><p><strong>A<strong>**/N-Dun. Dun. DUN ! My goodness a lot of things happened in this chapter, huh? Let's start all the way from the beginning. First of all, just to let you know, I've never been to the Louvre Museum before. Therefore, I had to do a lot of research as to what the interior/exterior of the Louvre looked like. Furthermore, if the descriptions are incorrect, I apologize in advance. Anyway, so yeah I made them split into different scenarios. So while Jack figures out where the clue is, I made so that all of them figure out something. For Milton's case it was finding out what that Chinese word meant, and for Jerry and Eddie's case, it's Jerry bumping into Grace. Speaking of which, yes I had Grace FINALLY re-appear after like 6 chapters so I hope you all liked that. Especially with that sprinkle of one of my new favorite pairings, JACE. I think they'd be amazingly cute together. So for all those JACE fans hope you liked that! But what did you guys think of Grace's appearance? Bit strange, don't you think? **

**Now let's get to the most horrid part of this chapter. **

**THEY'RE DISQUALIFIED. NOO! Curse Drake and his revenge abilities. Looks like our Wasabi Warriors forgot about what Mr. Shi had told them during The First Meeting. So what will happen to the San Jose dojo? Will they find a way out, or will they have to pack up and head back to their hometown? **

**BIG QUESTIONS YET TO BE ANSWERED. **

**So REVIEW my lovelies! Once again, thank you guys for the amazing reviews! Keep reviewing, and I'll try to update sooner this time! Hope this was worth the wait! Thanks guys! **

**Always have faith in faith. Forever. **

**Peace and love, **

**~Taylor **


	13. True Friendships

**A/N-Hey guys! I'm back with my update on The Hunt. Sorry it took so long…as the end of the year is only a few weeks, our teachers have been killing us. But thank you for the reviews! Almost to 200! Anyway, in this chapter, you'll expect some surprises, a bit of corny scenes, but overall I'd say it really reveals one of the main themes of the story. So I hope you like it! **

**ENJOY!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13: True Friendships<strong>

* * *

><p><span>KIM<span>

_Go? Don't go? Go? Don't go? _

The question repeatedly ringed in my head.

Yet it never had an answer.

I paced rapidly back in forth in the entrance of the hearing room, which was where Bobby had arranged our "session" with his personalized "court" to discuss about our so-called foul play between us and Julie. As we had broken the rules, Bobby seemed really distressed about it, and ordered some of the rule makers for The Hunt to render us guilty or innocent. The hearing room was in reality, one of the conference rooms the hotel had generously provided, yet I still felt like I was going into an actual court. With actual police. And with actual consequences.

I straightened my floral blouse, and looked at myself in the hallway mirror, seeing my blonde hair in loose waves dangling over my shoulders peacefully, while my face was shrunk with apprehension. I stared at the golden doorknob with utter resent, wondering how partaking in this "session" would be of any use to us. It's terrible enough that they've decided to suspend us from something we were so determined in winning, but now they're acknowledging it even further by making us guilty or innocent and bringing the remaining groups to make up a "jury"?

This is ridiculous.

I let out a shaky hand, reluctantly making its way to the doorknob, with my bare hands resting on the chill metal doorknob. I slightly leaned my heads towards the door, to hear if it had started yet or not.

"I don't know." I heard a muffled, deep, and familiar voice coming from the inside. "I'm going to go look and see if she's outside."

Before I could back away, I felt the door swing wide open, slapping me brutally on the nose.

"OW!" I screamed clutching my nose, as I came face-to-face to who had technically hit it horribly. His eyes slightly dilated when locking with mine, and he immediately shut the door behind him, looking at me with concern.

Of course _he _of all people would be the first to hit my nose, possibly fracture it.

Jack.

"There you are! I knew we were missing someone!" Jack exclaimed.

"Well thanks for remembering," I snapped. "Um, I don't know if you noticed or anything, but my nose is throbbing right now!"

He stared at my nose guiltily, and flinched in empathy. "Sorry about that. Why aren't you inside? They're about to start the session."

I shook my head in disbelief, and helplessly took a seat on the ground, with my back against the wall while clutching my nose in pain.

"Sorry." He muttered back again. "So tell me Miss Cranky, why aren't you inside?"

I sighed. "Look, I already understand that we got kicked out, and it's already breaking my heart…must they reiterate the point _again _by holding on a stupid court? I don't want to go in there, and feel reminded of it. I'm already really depressed by it."

"We're all doing it…so can you." Jack said, slightly smiling. I however, didn't even crack a grin. I took a deep breath, blurting up a follow-up question.

"Is he in there?" At first, Jack had a puzzled look, but when I gave him a glance, he seemed to have comprehended who I was inferring to.

Travis.

"That doesn't matter." Jack said, staring right at me. "The important thing is that we get in there and fight for our spot back in that competition. Think of it as a chance to redeem ourselves."

"You didn't answer my question." I said. "Is he in there?"

Jack reluctantly sighed. "Yes…even Grace is in there…why do you care?"

"I didn't think that jerk would show up…pictured him dancing in victory." I mumbled. "Look, I don't want to go in there…I'd rather use this time to pack up or something."

Rolling his eyes, Jack rose up, and stared down at me. "Look Kim, you should know I never break my promises."

I gave him a baffled look.

"What promises?"

"When we left school, I promised you the best summer ever. I'm going to make sure we get our spot back in that competition…and give you the best summer ever. I'm a man of my word."

I smiled slightly. "Thanks Jack."

"Now," He held out a hand. "Let's go fight to be on T.V again and get the _Miao Dao _sword."

Taking his hand, with a slight sigh and smile, I stood up still clutching my nose. Yet, the pain had slightly calmed as Jack entwined his fingers with mine, making me feel safe, secure…and happy.

But I forcefully pulled my hand away from the longer-than-expected grip.

And my hands instead made its way to the doorknob.

And twisted it open.

_Damn. _

Looks like I've learned something about Bobby Wasabi today. That being, he's a man of his word.

The former, slightly small-area'd conference room has been transformed into an actual "court room". There were rows of chairs with people from the other groups sitting, their eyes fixed on Jack and me. Bobby, looking like a judge with a gavel wrapped around his fingers, sat on a high table and chair, with six chairs to the side, all standing on a small stage. I looked around, trying to observe who actually bothered to show up to futile session. I caught glimpses of Julie and the rest of her girls sitting together in the front with anxious looks on their faces, as they stared at Milton sitting next to Bobby, looking equally tense. I saw Eric standing at one corner, his eyes fixed on the larger video camera that was being pointed towards Bobby.

Of course, _he _would be assigned to videotape this.

My eyes suddenly fixed on a girl with coffee-brown hair who was staring a bit apprehensively at Jerry.

What is _Grace _doing here?

Before she could catch me staring at her, I tore my eyes away from her, and started looking elsewhere. Behind Grace, I locked eyes with yet another "nemesis" from the opposing group—the only difference was that the opponent I was facing had his sea-blue eyes locked with mine. His blonde hair was standing up on top of his hand like little spikes, and his cheeks colored, with a remorse frown plastered on his face. Quickly, I turned away.

No way am I _ever_ forgiving Travis White for what he did to me.

And lastly, I come face-to-face with none other than Drake Evans, the guy who started it all, brought us unnecessarily to a fake court session that's still being broadcasted, and not to mention the guy whose ass I'd really like to kick at the moment.

Excuse the language. Let's just say I'm really, _really _in the mood to use that Miao Dao sword for…various reasons.

"Ah Kim Crawford. Looks like your boyfriend finally managed dragged you to come join us in this…party, if you will." Bobby said, chewing on some sushi that was on his table.

_Why don't I show you a party with my fist? _

"Please," He said, making a gesture. "Take a seat with your dojo members. We'll have a little talk."

Rolling my eyes, Jack and I walked up to Milton, Jerry and Eddie, and Rudy who all wore anxious frowns on their faces. I cast a glance towards Bobby who repeatedly stomped his gavel onto the table.

"Ah, I love gaveling." Bobby said blissfully. "Anyway, let's go back in business." His eyes locked with Eric's. "Are we rolling?"

"We are rolling in three...two…" Eric fixed his eyes onto the lens. "And action!"

"Welcome to The Hunt in Court, with your host and judge, Bobby Wasabi," He smiled into the camera. "That being me. Now, we are gathered here today to claim whether a rule that one of the surviving groups has broken is charged guilty or innocent. This court session will not function as an actual legal court-house session, but the consequence being them getting kicked out of The Hunt forever. Now let's meet our guilty-or-innocent party here, shall we? All the way from San Jose, California we have my hometown dojo, with their sensei, Rudy Steiner. Go on introduce yourself, Rudy." Bobby and the camera turned to us, with Eric's camera first zooming in on Rudy.

"Hey there. Rudy Steiner. Single. How you guys doing?" Rudy grinned sheepishly into the camera, adding a muted "Hi Mom" after his brief introduction. I rolled my eyes. The camera then focused on Eddie.

"Um…hi. My name's Eddie Johnson." Eddie said awkwardly, putting his hand on the back of his neck. "And uh…I like Falafel."

Next was Jerry's turn.

"Yo what it do, girls?" Jerry said confidently, staring at not only the camera, but all the girls in the "jury". "Jerry Martinez. 14. Also single, but got a lot more swag than that old dude over there. Oh and my nickname: BOSS."

Of course _he _would introduce himself on live TV like that.

Now it was time for Milton.

"Uh…uh…" Milton stammered. "I'M INNOCENT, OKAY?" He blurted.

We all gave him a quizzical stare. Milton's face colored. Next the camera focused on Jack.

"Well, I'm Jack. Hi. I'm 14. Martial Artist. Skateboarder." He cleared his throat. "That's it."

"Well¸ these introductions just get even more intriguing, don't they?" Bobby said. He faced me. "Now Miss. Tough Cookie, would you like to introduce yourself?"

Frustrated, I immediately stood up.

I will not awkwardly introduce myself in front of myself.

I'm better than that.

"Hi. I'm Kim Crawford who honestly thinks that this is absolutely ridiculous." I said bitterly. I turned my head to Bobby. "Look, I'm not going to introduce myself in front of people who have known me for years." My eyes fixed on Grace for a minute. "And I'm not going to stand here and be accused guilty of something we clearly did out of total innocence. Can't you just say we were wrong to break the rules, and just kick us out, rather than reiterating this situation?" I somewhat felt a bit satisfied for standing up for myself, and for the good of the group. Bobby, however still seemed amused.

"Then that would just take away the fun, wouldn't it?" Bobby said with a smirk. "Now sit down, Cranky."

With a huff, I crossed my arms and plopped back into my seat, as Bobby stared back into the crowd.

"Now that _that's _out of the way, let's begin." Bobby started. "So, let me first present the creator of The Hunt Mr. Kevin Shi, who will gladly read out the rules."

Mr. Shi rose from the audience, and made his way to the front of the room, standing right in front of Bobby's face, and smiling through the camera.

"Thank you Bobby." Mr. Shi exclaimed theatrically through the camera. I rolled my eyes. "Now, allow me to read the rules for The Hunt which as a matter of fact, was presented to each group at the First Meeting back in San Jose along with their first clue." He unraveled a piece of paper that was scrunched up in his hands and cleared his throat.

"Rules for The Hunt." Mr. Shi started. "First rule is no plagiarism in clues. Contestants are not permitted to copy the clues, and send to others. If discovered, will be immediately disqualified and sent for a two week suspension from the dojo.

"Rule number two; Absolutely no blackmailing. Contestants are prohibited to propose violent threats in order to receive clues or items. If discovered, will be immediately disqualified, and also sent for a two week suspension from their dojo.

"Rule number three; there can be no assistance whatsoever from any third party that is not a member from their respective dojo. Other groups are also not allowed to spy on others for information. Alliances within the contestants are permitted at your own will, however, if discovered a particular group is gaining assistance from third party members will be sent in immediate disqualification.

My stomach lurched in pure guilt.

"Rule number four; no physical attacks. Contestants from other groups are prohibited from beating/hitting other contestants. No using weaponry whatsoever. If discovered, will be immediately disqualified, as well as pay a little visit to the police station." He glared at all of us here. Drake's head slightly fell, and he stared at the ground.

Oh yeah; he definitely broke almost _all _of these rules.

"And lastly rule number five which only applies at our last stage of The Hunt." Kevin's voice grew dead serious, in a deep monotone. "Those who find the Miao Diao sword—and along with a rule, this a request—_please _hand it to us and only us. The group that discovers it will be richly rewarded—we promise you. However, with the curse—ehm, I mean gift—that the Miao Dao sword holds, its best that it be handed to us…please do _not _tamper the sword once it's been discovered."

Suddenly, everyone's eyes suddenly lit up with mixed emotions as soon as Kevin said that word "curse". I still remained utterly baffled. How was the Miao Dao sword a curse? There wasn't anything mentioned about a curse from what I've researched in the library more than two weeks ago.

Then again, I haven't done much research.

"Now, as creator of The Hunt, and these very well developed rules, I have to say that the San Jose Bobby Wasabi Dojo has broken rule number three which was being provided assistance from third party members. As I've been informed, The San Jose dojo received assistance from Miss Julie Adams, therefore breaking the rules. So Julie, will you please come up to the stage as the defense for your friends' dojo?"

From the very back, we saw Julie tentatively rise from her seat, her skin oh-so-pale and her eyes dilated in anxiety. Even from how far she was away from us, I could still decipher her body trembling like a dog, not being able to take one step towards the stage. She had a petrified look on her face, and she looked like she was about to cry, which only made Milton concerned.

Is Julie okay?

She looks…scared.

So much for a good attorney.

Suddenly, an irritated, yet anxious and not to mention puny looking girl stood up, and started frolicking towards the stage in a poised manner. She had jet-black hair that flew lifelessly over her shoulders, with a briefcase clutched in her hand. She placed her briefcase on the table, and stared confidently into the audience.

"Who's she?" I hissed at Milton.

"Cindy Zhao. She's part of Julie's Summer Adventurer's group. I don't know what she's doing here though." Milton seemed to look scared of Cindy, which caused me to escape a giggle considering Cindy was half Milton's size.

"I'm sorry, are you Julie?" Kevin asked Cindy, giving her a baffled look.

"Um, ew of course not." Cindy snapped. "Trust me, I'm like her sister, but consider me the perkier, entertaining, edgy version of Julie who still has the smarts in her."

"I called for Julie. Not an Asian." Kevin replied coldly. Cindy narrowed her eyes (which frankly made it seem like she was closing them).

"Look who's talking Mr. _Shi_!" She retorted at Kevin, who actually was Asian as well. "Listen, I know some very dirty words in Chinese, and I'm not afraid to use them on you. Now, since Julie's not feeling well,_ I'm_ going to speak as a defense for the San Jose dojo. Is. That. Clear?"

_Wow, this girl has got attitude. _

I could see Kevin's eyes slightly distending in fear, faintly backing away from Cindy who had a triumphant grin on her face.

"You may proceed." Kevin mumbled angrily, taking a seat at the audience. Cindy stared at us, and gave us an excited smile, and snapped her head back to the crowd. She cleared her throat and stared confidently at the audience.

Looks like Cindy Zhao was ready to defend the Wasabi Warriors.

"Okay, first allow me to introduce myself." Cindy stated loudly to the audience. "My name is Cindy Zhao, and as a good friend of Julie's, I decided to fill in for her as she's not feeling well to defend this…awesome dojo." She winked at us here. "So, why am I here in Paris, you ask? Okay, so back at San Jose, Julie and I were head of our schools' Summer Adventurer's group. And over there—" She pointed to the back of the room. "—You can see my group, who's been giving me weird stares for the past ten minutes. But anyway, our school has designed the Summer Adventurer's group for anyone who's interested to travel around the world, explore historical monuments and such, and gather good information to write a research paper in the end. This is basically for anyone who wants to get some credit points for college. And since we're graduating in 3 years, I figured to start my college planning now, just like all the other girls over there. Don't believe me?" Cindy pranced over to her briefcase, and pulled out a document. She went over and handed it to Bobby. "Here. In this document, you'll be able to see an overview of Seaford High's Summer Adventurer's group."

Bobby snatched the paper from Cindy's hand, muttering something under his breath, and voraciously skimming through the document, his eyes slight amplifying in shock.

"Wow…she wasn't lying!" Bobby said. With a smirk, Cindy grabbed the paper from Bobby's hand and held it tightly in her hands.

"So what was also in this document was where we were assigned to research about and gather information. And guess what?" Cindy exasperated, holding the paper up. "We were assigned to visit the Louvre Museum in Paris, France!"

Astonished indistinct chatter erupted from the audience, exchanging hard-to-read expressions, and staring at the puny little Asian in bewilderment.

"So, bottom line was that we just happened to bump into this group and since Julie is that skinny nerd's girlfriend—"

"Hey!" Milton protested. I nudged him, beckoning him to be quiet.

"We happened to go along with them! But we don't know _anything_ about this finding-clues nonsense. In the Louvre Museum, Milton just walked with us to the Chinese exhibit, but we both had gone for different purposes. So Bobby…_Mr. Shi_," Cindy angrily glared at Kevin. "The San Jose dojo is innocent, because they had never received any assistance whatsoever from us to find…whatever they needed to find."

Bobby slapped his gavel onto the table, which seemed a bit pointless. "Alright Cindy, thank you…that is actually a good amount of evidence so—"

"Wait a second!" Drake objected. He rose up from his seat, and stomped towards the stage, shoving Cindy off, causing her to fall to the ground. "I object!"

Oh, no he didn't.

I got up from my seat and ran towards Drake. "What's wrong with you? Don't you have any sort of sympathy for anyone? Apologize!" I screamed in his face, staring at Cindy as she struggled to get up.

With a malicious smirk, Drake stood a bit close to me, which caused a huge lump in my throat to form, and my eyes dilating in fright. "I'm sorry that your dojo mates have to deal with you and your ugly self every day." And he shoved me in the same direction, causing me to topple to the ground, and hit my body against the hard, cold marble floor

_Ow. _

Bobby stood up and eyed Drake. "Boy! Why shove her?"

"Because she and her stupid dojo members are frauds!" I heard Drake scream. I saw Jack and Milton rush towards me, and help me to get up.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked concerned shooting Drake a death-like glare.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I mumbled. Milton went over and helped Cindy up, who just shoved Milton's hands away from his arms.

"Don't touch me." She remarked with a teasing smile at Milton. She stood up and pranced towards the stage, like nothing had happened. I however, shot Drake one of my famous 'death-glares' and stomped towards him.

Okay look, a little kiddie shove isn't going to stop me from talking to him.

Even when he was the one to—

"I think the only fraud in this room is you Drake." Jack immediately stepped in front of me, eye-to-eye with him, preventing any conversation between me and Drake which kind of annoyed me. Drake looked like he was ready to kill Jack, as well as me when I too shot him a defying look. From the corner of my eye, I saw Cindy standing next to Jack and me, also attempting at a daring expression.

"We'll see about that." Drake smirked. He faced Bobby, and pulled something out of his pocket. "I have a voice recording of the Scooby gang when they were about to go on their search for the clues. Well…when they were _all _searching for the clues."

_How the hell did he get that? _

Bobby tentatively took the MP3 player in his hand, and clicked the play button on the device, and the entire group that was sitting leaned in curiously to hear the conversation we had just yesterday.

"_Great." _I heard Jack's voice._ "I say we split up and all look for the clue together. Milton, you go with Julie and her little nerd patrol—" _

"_Hey!" _

Obviously Milton's voice.

"_Rudy and Eric will go with Jerry and Eddie…and I'll go with Kim. I say we meet back here in a half hour, hopefully being able to find the clue. And if it's not there, then we know it's over." _

All the eyes focused on us, and I could see Jack cupping his hands in his face helplessly and irritably. Kevin walked up to Bobby, exchanging muffled conversation, and focused their eyes back on us.

"See?" Drake said. "They clearly _used_ Julie and her group for transportation purposes and to use their knowledge, as they are not very intelligent themselves. I mean, come on guys," He turned to the audience. "Just look at them. You have a stupid Latina, a skinny nerd, a sweaty pumpkin, a giddy Sensei…oh, and let's not forget the hero-complex brunet and the oh-so-tough blonde. These people are so vulnerable, of _course _they needed assistance. All they did was use that poor group for their own selfish reasons just to find the clue. And—"

"Take that back!" Cindy retorted.

"Okay Drake, that's enough." Bobby halted. My blood was boiling, and my fists were clenched into hard balls…I was so aggravated; it was easy to picture steam blowing out of my ears. I exchanged looks with Jack who mirrored my infuriated expression. Yet, judging by his death glare at Jack, it looked like for a moment he was willing to charge up to Drake and beat him up.

And I would gladly join in.

It's one thing to get kicked out of a Summer Adventure.

But it's another for someone to humiliate _your_ friends live on T.V.

"So, with Cindy's evidence as well as Drake's," Bobby started, exchanging quick glances with Kevin. "We've decided—"

"Okay you know what, stop." Jack yelled and stood up, facing Drake. Everyone's eyes fell on Jack, as did ours in utter bewilderment.

What was this boy _doing? _

"I'm not going to stand here and watch you with that triumphant look on your face, when he announces that we've been disqualified." Jack told Drake. All Drake did was merely shrug. "Okay fine, Drake. You won. We're out. Fine. But physically hurting Kim, and insulting my friends—now that's not okay. I'm not going to stand here on live T.V being insulted and tricked by someone like you. Someone so abusive, someone who broke almost all of the rules on that list. I'd rather get disqualified from this, than see my friends get hurt physically and emotionally. So we're done Drake. Feel satisfied…because guess what? We feel just as happy as you do right now."

Drake had a sinful smirk on his face, yet you could see that it was forced. While Drake had potentially won, Jack had just defeated him. Not with violence, not with defense skills, not even with threats.

With words.

That was all that was needed for Drake Evans to remain speechless.

Jack turned to us, and flickered on a small warm smile. Normally, I would've been devastated from the obvious answer that we were going to be disqualified.

But from what Jack had just said.

I didn't care.

"Thanks Jack." Milton smiled. "You're right. We really don't need this."

"I think it's time we went home anyway." Jerry stood up with a smile. "I have lots of dancing and pranking I need to catch up on."

"I miss Falafel Phil's!" Eddie stood up cheerfully.

"And I miss having you kids punching the worn-out dummies on the moldy mats in my dojo." Rudy stood up smiling, patting his hand on Jack's back. Jack looked down on me, as I was the only person who hadn't stood up. He almost looked disappointed.

With a laugh, I stood up as well, and smiled at him. "Jack, as long as we have you with us…we'll always be a winner. And we'll always be a family." And he pulled me into a brief, but warm hug.

Jack smiled back, and we all turned to Bobby, who had somewhat of a sad, guilty look on his face.

"Well, you all know the answer. Case dismissed." Bobby said reluctantly, smashing his gavel onto the table for the last time. Honestly, I did feel like bawling as I was going to miss this. "Thank you for participating in The Hunt."

But with Jack's hand wrapped around mine, the depressed feeling seemed to have calmed. Exchanging sad smiles at eachother, we all walked out of the stage together, towards the doors, ready to pack up.

Ready to go home.

Ready to end it all.

When—

"WAIT!" I heard a male voice. I spun around, seeing a boy with blonde hair and calm blue eyes standing up. The boy turned and stared into my eyes for a second, looking guilty. Looking sorry.

A guy who I thought I'd never have to lock eyes with again.

Travis.

"No! They can't be disqualified! I—I object!" He said, his voice slightly cracking. "You can't disqualify them, Bobby! Because they really are innocent."

"I'm sorry boy, but they did break the rules." Bobby said. "While I'm devastated I had to do this, I had to be a man of fairness."

"But they didn't break the rules." Travis said, taking a deep breath. "I did."

"What?" I screamed.

"What?" Bobby yelled.

"WHAT?" The whole audience chanted.

"You should disqualify me." Travis started with a deep, shaky breath. "Because, I planned physical attacks on Kim. I lured her into a trap, and…_I _locked her in a closet for an entire night at The Eiffel Tower. It was wrong of me. I…I never meant to do that." He turned his head to me once again, with sudden gasps echoing from the crowd. I stared at Travis with my eyes enlarged in shock.

"I didn't want to lock her in a closet to prevent her from finding the clue." Travis said to the crowd, yet his eyes still fixed on me. "I was…I was obligated to. I never meant to hurt her. Because I really did like her."

_Oh. My. Freaking. God. _

I could hear a chorus of "aw's" echo from Julie's group.

"But I took Kim out on a fake date, and I attacked her...and Jack as well. I knocked him out cold with a metal rod."

Bobby took a deep breath. "I see."

"But I know, as a witness that they never used Julie or her group. I saw with my own eyes that they Julie had bumped into Milton. You can check the security cameras for proof." Travis had an extremely guilty, but slightly relieved look on his face.

"Thank you." Bobby said after a long pause. "For coming clean and telling the truth. Now as you said this was _you _who had done it I will not disqualify your group. But I will disqualify you from being in The Hunt. I'm sorry, but I'm forced to send you home. As for the San Jose dojo—"

"Wait!" Another girl stood up. She didn't turn around, but I recognize that thin, coffee-brown hair anywhere.

Grace Miller.

"I also object." Grace said a bit softly. "They can't be disqualified, because they didn't receive any help from Julie or her group. If you're still willing to take them out and Travis—" She took a look at her Dad and faced Bobby. "—Take me as well."

"And why is that?" Bobby asked. Grace finally turned her face to me, with tears welling up in her eyes, as she took a trembling breath.

"For being a terrible friend." She whimpered, with her voice cracking as the tears glided down her cheeks. "For breaking a friendship I had with someone that I've known for my entire life. Not just with Kim…but with everyone in that group." I stared at Grace in utter shock, with tears filling up in my eyes as well. Because when Grace cries…

I cry.

Even if I become portrayed as a vulnerable 14-year-old.

"Wow." Bobby said. He stared at us. "Look around you, my San Jose Wasabi Warriors. You have so many people supporting you. Defending you. The puny Asian, the blue eyes, and the brunette… even _you_ were looking out for eachother. That's a bond that's irreplaceable. That only genuine people can maintain." He stood up, and I could see his face slightly coloring. Exchanging looks, we walked up to him.

"All my life," Bobby started. "I've wanted just _one _relationship with someone like that. A relationship where I _know _I can trust them, and can rely on them. Where they know they can rely on me. Even with some misunderstandings…we're always there for eachother. But alas, I've never had the chance to experience a genuine friendship…and me ruining your relationships…wouldn't be fair."

His expression was hard to read, seeming a bit guilty, disappointed, but also a bit relieved to be able to admit that.

It's a side of Bobby Wasabi I've never seen before.

"Travis, I'm afraid you're disqualified for breaking rule number two which is physical attack. But, I'm pleased to announce that the San Jose Bobby Wasabi Dojo and Grace…can stay!"

We.

Can.

STAY?

A chorus of cheers erupted from the audience as they started clapping loudly for all of us. Wide smiles arose on our faces, as everyone huddled around us. I could see Julie running up to Milton, and throwing his arms tightly around him, and Rudy running towards Eric and flinging his arms around him, even when he was filming. Jerry and Eddie did a 'guy-type' hug, where they intertwine hands, and daintily touch each other's shoulders.

And when I exchanged excited looks with Jack, he picked me up, and swung me around as a warm embrace.

"Yes, we're still in The Hunt!" I squealed with excitement.

"See, I told you…" Jack laughed, as he put me down. "Kim Crawford _deserves _the Best Summer Ever."

I smiled. "I'm already having the Best Summer Ever. With…"

However, my voice drifted off; as I saw Travis walk out the door, with his head glued to floor, in somewhat of a disappointed manner. I cast a glance towards the muffled crowd, no longer seeing Drake in sight…causing me to grow a bit timid. I fixed my eyes on Jack once again.

"I'll be right back… I just need to go somewhere. I'll catch up with you later, okay?" I smiled at Jack. While he still looked a bit concerned, with a smile and nod he drifted off in the crowd to meet with Rudy.

While I went to go finally talk to Travis.

To thank him.

To…forgive him.

* * *

><p>"Travis?" I called out into the hallway. Darting my eyes this way and that, I finally caught Travis, who was sitting on a bench, looking to the ground with a sad frown on his hand, and his brows furrowed. As soon as he heard my voice, his head jerked up, and his pained expression immediately switched to relief as he saw me standing there. He instantly stood up and walked towards me. I held my hands together a bit awkwardly, staring into his effervescent, calm sea-blue eyes that were filled with guilt, and sorrow. Now, I know that proceeding with this step isn't something Jack would be happy about, but when looking at his truly sorry face, it made me feel once again, that I was doing the right thing.<p>

"Kim…hi." He managed a smile. "I…listen, I—"

"Look Travis," I stopped him. "I'm still…flustered that you'd trick me into something that put me and Jack at risk. But…that doesn't mean I can't forgive you. Especially after what you did for me."

His eyes flickered as if a ray of sunshine had just entered them. His lips curved into a small smile for a second, but then turned into a frown again.

"Kim¸ I never got to talk to you after that. But now that I have the chance, I just want to say that I'm sorry for everything. For tricking you…for leaving you…and for hurting you. But Kim…I didn't mean any of that. I really didn't. I wanted to get out of doing it so badly."

"So…if you regret it…then why'd you do it then?" I asked sadly.

"I was blackmailed by Drake." He said. "He has something that…belongs to me. If I didn't do what he asked…he said he would…" Travis's face masked utter devastation and pain, as he turned away. "Anyway, I was forced to do that to you. It's why I was forced to take the blame for locking you in a closet, even when he did do it. If I ratted him out…we'll all be sorry."

I took a deep, trembling breath.

Okay, now Drake's starting to creep me out.

"But…why does Drake hate us so much? It's like he wants to murder us." I said.

"Drake has some plans." Travis hissed, drawing me closer to him. "Big plans that's even more important than winning that prize money. He wants to get that sword before anyone else. And if he needs to kill a few along the way…he's willing to. That's one of the reasons why he did that to you."

"But did he really have to lock us in a—"

"I'm not talking about the closet."

My face paled, and I took a deep, shaky breath. No. I can't be reminded of that again. Not here. Not now.

"You…you know?" I asked my voice cracking. He nodded crustily.

"Yeah." He said. "But you should know one thing, Kim." He took my hand. "I really do like you, Kim. I always did ever since I met you in the library. I know you won't be able to give me a second chance…what I did to you was horrible, and wrong. But can we start over?"

Start over?

Huh…second time I've had that request.

"After what you sacrificed just for me…" I said, slightly smiling. "I'd like that."

He smiled. "Thanks Kim. Well I better get packing. And you know what…I'm actually pleased to be out of this competition. I'll see you later."

And with that he started walking out the door.

When I caught his arm.

"Wait!"

He turned around, giving me a puzzled look. "Yeah?"

And I did something that was a bit unexpected. I threw my arms around his, and squeezed him tight.

"Thank you."

And he squeezed back in response.

"Bye Kim." He said. "I'm…I'm going to miss you."

And I pulled away with a smile.

"I'll miss you too."

And with a smile and wave, he drifted off, that being the last time I would ever see Travis Hoffman again. Sighing, I decided to go back into the room, about to twist the doorknob and open the door to reunite with my Wasabi Warriors once again.

When the door swung open by itself, revealing yet another person who I desperately needed to talk things out with.

Grace.

"Kim? I've been looking for you!" Grace said. "Where were you?"

"Oh, just working some things out that's all." I said, with a small smile. "Um Grace, I just wanted to thank you for everything, really. I realized even from what you've done before…you're a true friend."

Grace gave a small smile. "Friends are friends, Kim. Forever. I'm sorry I've…betrayed you like that. It's why I was willing to get disqualified. I realized I'd rather get disqualified than see us break apart. But my dad however stands in the way of my rebellious attitude."

"Wait," I said, in deep thinking. "Is that why this whole thing started? Because of your dad?"

She took a deep, rickety breath. "I can't say, Kim. I'm sorry." I nodded in understanding, giving her a small, reassuring smile.

"So, can we start over?" She asked changing the subject. I looked deep into her eyes, and they were filled with remorse and water as well. It made me think: How could I _not _say no to a person I've known my whole life?

"No. We can't start over." I grinned. Grace looked up in disappointment.

"Why not?"

"Because that would be a waste of time." I laughed. "We're best friends and we always will be." And with that, the two of us squeezed eachother into a long, warm embrace with the two of us giggling softly like we were little girls all over again. Grace pulled away, however, giving me a tensed frown.

"What's wrong?"

"I actually needed to give this to you. It's why I was looking for you. Special delivery…given by hand." With a petrified look, Grace handed me a folded up piece of paper, and I stared at quizzically.

Who could this be?

Well, whoever it is, I didn't seem to care. All that was flooding through my mind right now was the fact that I just reunited with my best friend, and fixed things up with a new friend. Nothing was going to change my joy.

But…why would someone give met this?

I gingerly unfolded the piece of paper to reveal a short letter. Yet even within those few sentences, it contained words that shocked me. That traumatized me.

That scarred me.

The feeling of reminiscing true friendship had vanished into thin air.

For the little note had sticked to my head, and left my heart thumping apprehensively in my chest.

_Oh, Kim you may have won this round. But remember, we're still in The Hunt, and we're not afraid to take down you and your stupid little Wasabi Warriors. Oh, did I ever mention? I have something of yours, dear…something that revealed a dangerous secret about you. A secret even you are afraid to admit. _

_Prepare for the unexpected, Kimmy. _

_-D. E. _

**A/N-Wow. So, see I told you there were some slightly corny scenes revealing one of the major themes of this story being FRIENDSHIP, but if you know me, I'm kind of a corny person myself, so hopefully you won't dislike the chapter because of that. But I hope you all liked it! So, yes, I did add in some Travis/Kim drama and some major Grace/Kim friendship, but also the regular KICK. I realize I haven't given Milton/Jerry/Eddie a big part in this chapter, so they'll be featured more in the next. But I also focused on a character that at first, only seemed like a minor—Cindy. There were some requests about how people loved Cindy, so I made her the confident one, who stands up for these people and influences the judge's decision. So I hope you all liked that! I also wanted to hear your thoughts about the "curse" of the Miao Dao sword. Any predictions as to what that might be? I love hearing your thoughts so click that blue button below to share! Anyway, hope you all liked the chapter! I'll update soon with my next! Prepare for some JACE and MILLIE—wink, wink. **

**See you all soon! Thanks for reading! **

**REVIEW! **

**Always have faith in faith. Forever. **

**Peace and love, **

**~Taylor **


	14. Meet the Survivers

**A/N- Hi guys! This is Taylor back with my update on The Hunt! Now, with my previous chapter I did get a good number of reviews…and some of you kind of complained that I was taking too long with my updates, and that more Kick was needed. Well, I really can't help when I update…they're just dumping a lot of schoolwork on me, as the end of the year is still approaching, so I'm really sorry, but don't get mad if I don't update soon enough. I promise not to give up on this story but…yeah. Also, for the lack of Kick in the previous chapter, hope this one makes it up! I could've updated this before, but I grew a new obsession towards this amazing show, and was watching the entire season on …have you guys heard of Switched at Birth? It's an AMAZING show!**

**Okay, I'm getting a bit off topic…enjoy the chapter! **

* * *

><p><span>JACK<span>

"No freaking way," I gasped.

My eyes darted from left to right, completely fixed on the computer screen, and were slightly amplified in shock and disbelief. My palms started to grow sweaty, as I read deeper and deeper into the article, not being able to comprehend the message that for me, seemed to be incredibly far-fetched. The fact that my breaths were becoming shorter and sharper wasn't a good sign, for what was written in the long-searched article I had found wasn't a fictional tale.

Although I _really_ wish it was.

The hotel room was pin-drop silent, with nothing but the clicks made by my fast typing and the occasional creaks of the floor echoing throughout the room. While I wish I had some company, Jerry and Eddie had gone down to the arcade, Milton was out on yet another date with Julie, and Rudy and Eric were scheduled for a brief meeting with Bobby, along with the rest of Senseis and Cameramen from the remaining groups. I fixed my eyes back into the computer screen, re-reading the last sentence to that article over and over again.

"_Here is a small fact: If the Miao Dao sword is possessed by the wrong person, they will suffer fatal consequences." _

Not the first time I've seen this before.

If this sword was really cursed, then why does—

"_Thump, thump!" _

I hastily jumped out of my bed with anxiety as I heard the abrupt thumping, in the next second, realizing that it had come from the door. Gathering my bravery together, I tentatively stepped towards the door, and twisted the golden doorknob, with a timorous feeling at the pit of my gut. I swung the door open, revealing a puzzled looking blonde as soon as she saw my petrified-looking expression.

Nobody else but Kim.

"Oh, it's just you." I sighed in utter relief.

"Um, great to see you too?" She said. She walked inside, and gave me a small, but weirded out smirk. Her blonde hair was in loose waves that fell over her shoulders, and her face seemed a bit lethargic, as if she'd just endured hours of Rudy's 'back-in-the-day' stories. But there was also something holding her back…something bothering her.

_Don't bring that up yet, Jack. Maybe it's just you._

"What are you doing here?" I asked casually, shutting the door behind me.

"I was getting really bored all alone in my room." Kim shrugged. "I wish I could go out and explore more of Paris, but Rudy told me to stay inside, which really sucks."

"Oh, so you come to _me_ if you're bored?" I raised an eyebrow with a teasing smile on her face. She shoved my playfully.

"Shut up, I was desperate, okay?" She said, smiling. "Trust me, I would've had Cindy come over to my room if I could, but she had some things to work out with the rest of her group. You know, Cindy's actually a really cool girl…we have a lot in common."

All I did was nod emotionlessly.

"Cool."

"Um, Jack, are you okay?" Kim asked, stepping closer towards me, shrinking her eyebrows. "You look like you just saw a ghost or something."

I sighed heavily, staring at Kim with her curious, effervescent brown eyes. I gestured her over to the laptop, with her sitting right next to me on the edge of my bed. "Look at this." I said. She stared at the screen with a blank look on her face.

"Wait…what is this?" Kim asked.

"It's about the 'curse' Kevin was talking about at the court session, remember? Like you, I was bored as well, so I decided to make myself useful and research about the curse. And turns out, there _is _such thing as the curse of the Miao Dao sword."

Kim fixed her eyes back onto the screen, reading with a lot more interest flickered in her eyes. Her shoulders slightly brushed against mine, as her eyes frantically skimmed through the screen. She started reading it out loud:

"_During the Tang Dynasty, legend has it that an ancient Chinese soldier and prophet made the Miao Dao sword in front of the ancient Chinese gods and goddesses in order for the sword to receive blessings for those who use it during war. It is said that the gods empowered the sword, so those with good intentions possessing the sword can stop anything in their way, and become victorious. The famous General Li was honorably handed the sword by this solider and chose to use it during war, to represent the gods and all the soldiers who had risked their lives for the citizens of China. But alas, that same night, a Japanese general had stolen this powerful, and not to mention strident sword for their own usage for the war, specifically on targeting to kill General Li. The next morning however, the Japanese general was found in his room dead with the Miao Dao sword pierced through his heart. Legend says however, there was no form of attack on the Japanese General. General Li had taken it back, and when using that sword to battle, China had won the war. From then on, the curse of the Miao Dao sword has lived for millions of generations. It is believed that those with bad intentions possessing the sword will be acknowledged immediately by the gods with anger and no tolerance. Here is a small fact: If the Miao Dao sword is possessed by the wrong person, they will suffer fatal consequences"_

Kim and I exchanged anxious looks, as she started processing the tale, her mind seeming to go in all sorts of directions.

"Whoa." Kim breathed. "So, the sword we're looking for—"

"Is cursed." I finished. "Yeah. That's what left me freaking out. Why would they want us to find a cursed sword, though? How will that benefit them?"

"It depends on what Bobby wants to use it for." Kim said. "But Jack, this _is_ a legend found on the _Internet_. Maybe it's all just a big fat lie."

"No, it's not. I remember my Grandpa used to tell my stories on all these kinds of curses from the Dynasties when I was little. And considering Kevin briefly mentioned about it, I'm going to go with this being true."

Kim sighed helplessly. "Great. Just another thing to add pressure to the plate."

"But, what does Bobby want to do with it?" I asked. "And Kevin?"

"I don't know. Maybe Bobby doesn't even know about the curse." Kim said. "But I think I know someone who does know about it, which is why they wanted to get rid of us badly."

I focused my eyes on her.

"Drake? Knowing about this?" I asked. "That's hard to believe."

"Think about it. This sword is...enchanted. It holds actual power. Of course someone power-hungry like Drake would want something like that."

"Well then…now it's not about winning money anymore." I said. "It's about getting that sword in its rightful place, so everything's safe. We can't trust anyone anymore, Kim. We have to stick together more than ever now."

Kim nodded. "Agreed. But believe it or not, the only thing that's actually scaring me…is Drake." Her face had suddenly gone pale, and her eyes were bulging slightly out of her head, her lips quivering a bit.

"Why?" I asked, inching closer towards her. She looked scarred. "Are you okay?" I added.

She let out a deep, trembling sigh, and pulled something out of her pocket. It was a folded up piece of paper, and she handed it over to me with a shaky hand.

"Another note from Grace?" I asked, taking the note from her hand.

She shook her head. "Not likely. Read it." I unfolded the piece of paper, reading the note.

_Oh, Kim you may have won this round. But remember, we're still in The Hunt, and we're not afraid to take down you and your stupid little Wasabi Warriors. Oh, did I ever mention? I have something of yours, dear…something that revealed a dangerous secret about you. A secret even you are afraid to admit. _

_Prepare for the unexpected, Kimmy. _

_-D. E. _

"Drake Evans." I mumbled under my breath and stared at Kim. She seemed really worried, like she could go into a corner and start weeping, like she was scarred for life. Suddenly, all the pieces started to fall together in my mind.

"He did it, didn't he?" I asked. Kim and I locked eyes, and I could see traces of tears inside of them. I set the laptop down and placed it aside, placing my hand comfortingly on hers. She looked down, wiping her eyes, avoiding eye contact with me.

"Yeah." She said softly. "It's why you see me hiding behind people every time I see him. I don't know what happened to me after that but…I know that he knows."

"I'm sorry." I said, putting my arm around her in comfort. She continued to stare at the ground. All she did was give a small nod. I couldn't stand seeing Kim like this, so sad, so scared, so…vulnerable.

"It's just…he's after me. I know he is. And I'm scared." Kim cried. "Especially with that note…because now I know he's definitely going to try and use that against me for something. And now that I know he's done it…I know what he's capable of, and it's a lot. And for the first time, I'm just really scared of him, okay? I'm scared." For the first time, I saw the oh-so-tough Kim cry in utter fear and helplessness, saying the word "scared" repeatedly. I reached out and pulled her into my arms comfortingly, which only caused her to cry even harder. I lifted her chin, so she could make direct eye contact with me.

"Hey…don't cry. Nothing's going to happen to you." I said. She sniffed as I wiped the tears away from her eyes. "I won't let anything happen. I…I promise."

Kim stared at me with wide eyes, with some color flooding back into her skin. Impulsively, I started leaning towards her, so close that we were breathing against eachother.

And for the umpteenth time, we were actually attempting at kissing.

_Almost there…_

"_THUMP! THUMP!"_

_Every. Single. Freaking. Time. _

For a second, neither of us moved. Our noses were still slightly brushing off eachother, and our breaths were blowing against each other's faces, our eyes still closed. Once I heard the thumping noise from the door ring again, Kim suddenly tore away and starting wiping her eyes, while I rushed towards the door in anger and frustration. I swung open the door to see a slightly jolly-looking Jerry Martinez.

"Hey man!" Jerry exclaimed. I smiled, and gestured him to come inside.

"Hi Jerry." I said a bit dully. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd be crazy in the arcade."

"Well, I came to tell—"Jerry said, but as soon as he saw a dull, pale looking Kim. "Whoa. Kim. What are you doing…alone…with Jack?" Jerry had on a goofy grin. Kim shot him a glare, and rolled her eyes, as she stood up.

"Shut your mouth, Martinez." She grumbled. "What do you need anyway?"

"Um, the banquet, remember? We're supposed to be at the next gathering right now to meet the finalists and stuff. Everyone's there…figured I should get you guys."

"Oh yeah, I forgot, sorry." I mumbled.

"Well, how's everybody dressing?" Kim asked. "Please, I don't want to look like an outcast _again._"

"Relax chica, everyone's in normal clothes…but I wouldn't suggest wearing that." Kim stared at her outfit in confusion. All she wore was a simple blouse with jeans.

"What's wrong with this?" Kim asked Jerry, raising her eyebrow. Jerry's face suddenly paled and he looked scared which almost made me laugh.

"Nothing, it's just…" Jerry's voice faltered. "Hey, we're going to be late, so why don't we just get going…okay? Alright!" And with a sheepish grin, and a last frightened look at Kim, Jerry hastily ran off, leaving me and Kim laughing.

"Just one look." Kim laughed. "Works every time." I chuckled.

"Well…we should probably go, and you know…meet the finalists." I said, gawkily placing my hand on the back of my neck. With an awkward clear of my throat, we both started walking off.

"Oh, wait Jack?"

I turned to face her.

"Yeah?"

"Just one thing…" Kim inched a bit closer to me. "If you tell anyone about my emotional breakdown, I'll make you wish you were never born…got it?"

"Got it." I teased. She rolled her eyes, and shoved me playfully.

"Alright then…let's go." And with a smile, she sauntered off out of the room, making her way towards the elevator. But I knew no matter how bad her threats sounded, there was one thing I was absolutely positive on.

Kimberly Crawford was scared.

And no matter what, I need to make sure to be there for her, and all my friends.

Because right now,

I'm scared of Drake myself.

JERRY

"Welcome to the Third Gathering of the Hunt!" Bobby yelled triumphantly. "Please feel free to grab something to eat from the generous buffet provided by the Marriot Hotel, and later, we'll come together to introduce our finalists! Thank you!" With a chorus of applaud, the crowd broke out towards the buffet table, grabbing all the food they could. The banquet hall was pretty big, looking a lot like the one we attended back home, except the crowd was a lot smaller with only five groups in the room. Without Julie here, since she wasn't allowed, Milton seemed pretty lonely so he went on talking with Jack and Kim and Rudy went conversing with Eric. Normally, I would've rushed to the line, probably being the first to chow down all the French food I could. However, when I saw Grace Miller, sitting all alone in a table, deep in thought, I just knew I had to rush over to her and see what's bugging her.

_Since when did I care about Grace? _

"Hey man," Eddie poked me. I abruptly quit staring at Grace and stared at a puzzled looking Eddie.

"Sup, bro?" I said nonchalantly. He continued giving me that quizzical look.

"Um, you seem a bit…preoccupied. Everything okay?" Eddie asked. I just turned in his direction and nodded.

"Yeah, totally. Uh, you just go ahead and get something to eat…you look hungry. Then again you always look hungry." Reluctantly, Eddie nodded in agreement. "Anyway, I just need to uh…you know—"

"Just go." Eddie said, with a little disappointment. He stared at Grace's direction. "I know you want to talk to her."

"Look man, I didn't mean—"

"It's okay. I know she doesn't like me anyway. Heck, no girl ever likes me." Eddie said, looking to the ground in distress. "Go. I'll catch you later." And with a half-hearted wave, he trudged off towards the buffet line, which frankly I've _never _seen Eddie do. I stared back at Grace who was staring off into space. A part of me desperately wanted to go and talk to her—possibly thank her for helping us get back into the competition.

Yet, a part of me felt guilty too.

After all, she never went on a date with _me_…

"Hey Jerry!"

I heard a faint voice coming from Grace's direction. I jerked my head up, seeing Grace give me a warm smile, gesturing her hands towards the table she was sitting in. With a smile, I walked over towards her, and took a seat next to her.

I mean, this doesn't count… right?

"Hey Grace." I said casually. "Wassup?"

"I um, noticed you awkwardly standing there, so I figured you needed some company, I guess." Grace smiled.

"Well, thanks, but you know me. I always got company," I said, throwing my hands in the air. She laughed.

"Right that totally explains the sad, lonely look on your face while no one was around you." Grace teased. I rolled my eyes.

"Well, you seemed a little lost in thought…everything okay?"

Grace sighed. "Not really…it's just, my dad's been getting really stressed from this competition and he's just been getting worried and frustrated and…he's just different now, you know?"

I nodded in understanding. _Real _understanding.

"I'm just worried if starts treated me like I'm his student instead of…his daughter. Because he hasn't been acting like a typical 'dad' lately."

I shrugged. "Hey, I don't have the most loving dad either. In fact, I haven't seen him in a long time."

Grace shot up and gave me a quizzical look.

"Really, why is that?"

"Well, with this Hunt thing—"

"No, I mean why do you think your dad doesn't cares about you? I'm sure your family is really supportive…just like how you are to your friends."

"Not really." I sighed. "Be happy you at least have your dad around, okay? Don't go complaining for no reason."

Grace seemed taken aback at my words. "Whoa, I wasn't complaining! What's with the crabby attitude?"

"I'm just saying you have your dad around even on this Hunt thing, and even though he's been getting a little paranoid with this just like any other sensei, he's still there with you. Shouldn't that be more than enough, Grace?"

"Well excuse me if I needed someone to talk to and get my feelings out." Grace said with hurt.

"Oh yeah? Well then I'm not your guy to deal with your ungrateful complaints."

"You now what? You don't know anything about me. Even when we've known eachother for so long." Grace said with hurt shredding out of her voice standing up from her seat.

"Well, why don't you go talk to Kim, then? She knows everything about you." I countered angrily.

"Well maybe I will." Grace snapped.

"Fine." I retorted, and with a disappointed look and a roll of her eyes¸ Grace stomped away, and walked towards the buffet line, not even glancing back at me, which caused a heavy guilty feeling to hit in my stomach.

I shouldn't have been so hard on Grace, when my purpose was only to bond with her.

Then again, her talking about her dad made me think about—

"Can I have your attention please?" Bobby yelled. "We're about to start the introductions, so everyone finish up eating and get together with your group so we can all get to now eachother!"

Great. Just what I needed.

To get to meet new people.

When I haven't even gotten to know the old people better.

Like Grace.

Including myself.

KIM

"Alright, gather around with your groups! It's time to start the introductions!" Bobby yelled. The scattered group of people separated and sorted into five different huddles, sitting down in five big tables, all facing the stage where Bobby and Kevin stood with jolly smiles on their faces. It almost made me want to join them, and the rest of the relaxed smiles on the other contestants' faces….

But I couldn't.

Especially when seeing Drake with that cruel smirk on his face, and those devious flames dancing in his eyes, along with his little minions staring at me. Not to mention seeing Mr. Miller's angry glares, making me regret to even be friends with Grace again.

It's like the whole world has turned against me.

Well…the world of the Hunt anyway.

I felt a slight nudge tug on my arm, and I looked up seeing Jack, giving me a concerned, small smile. "You okay?" He asked.

I sighed, and managed a confident smile. "Yeah."

"Don't worry, okay? You have us…we won't let anything happen to you." He whispered. I smiled.

"Thanks Jack." I said. He smiled back. It almost annoyed me how we spontaneously get into those "moments", and when the attempt fails, we never even talk about it. Did it bother him to talk about it? Did he regret trying to kiss me in the first place?

I wasn't sure.

But I know it aggravated me every time the attempt failed….for some odd reason.

_Let's face it, Kim. You're hopelessly in love with the boy. _

"Okay, now let's get started!" Bobby said, snapping me out of my train of thought. "Now, I'm sure all of you have gone through some pretty difficult challenges looking for these clues…but now, it all comes down to you five. To find not just another clue…but the treasure itself."

A chorus of indistinct murmuring bursted from the crowd, and we exchanged excited and anxious glances.

"Wait…so this is the last clue?" Milton questioned. "And then we can find…the actual sword? Holy Christmas Nuts."

"I feel like you've been saying that a lot now." Rudy said. "Seriously—get a new catchphrase, man." Milton rolled his eyes.

"So this is it!" Jack exclaimed. "This is the last clue…and then we can finally go home!"

"Let's just hope we can get it before they do." I said with a heavy sigh, and smile.

"Yes, yes I know it is pretty shocking, but settle down folks." Kevin said a bit impatiently. The chatter died down, and Bobby continued to speak.

"Alright, so now before we all hand you the last clue, let's see who you all are competing against!" Bobby said. "There are five finalists in The Hunt. Let's start off with our first Wasabi group all the way from North Carolina. So the North Carolina dojo, please step forward."

A huddle of boys stood up and stepped forward, with mixed emotions on their faces. I could deduct the thrill on their faces as they were lucky enough to be the survivors of the Hunt. Yet, I could also sense disappointment; depression…like a part of them was missing.

Travis.

And another feeling adds in to my plate as well, along with excitement, fear, and anxiousness.

Guilt.

"Alright, will the sensei please come up and introduce their dojo?" Bobby smiled. A tall red-haired man stood out and faced the rest of the groups with a warm smile on his face.

"Well, I'm Tim Burke, sensei of the North Carolina dojo. We're all from Charlotte, which is a pretty big and nice city…it's like a cleaner version of New York," He laughed a bit awkwardly. "Anyway, my students; Billy, Emmett, Liam, David, and Justin. We are missing Travis, but we hope we still get to win this thing…for him. Because we knew what a good person he was."

The group applauded, and they all sat down. With a smile¸ Bobby turned his head to the next group.

"Next group?" Bobby said. The second group stepped forward. Honestly, they were a group I didn't recognize apart from Travis's, Drake's and Grace's group. A tall, young man with a muscular build stepped forward. He had on a casual smile, with his shaggy brunette hair falling into his eyes.

"The name is Bruce, sensei of the Dallas dojo, all the way from Texas. Uh, my students; Toby, Lucas, Alex, Ralph, Sam, and lastly our little lady Simone. We haven't really gotten out much, but we're really lucky to be in this competition." Another chorus of applaud echoed from the crowd and they all sat down. Well, they seemed nice….and frankly, the most mature.

Next came Drake's group.

Of course, why would _I _need introducing?

I've technically known them for two years now.

The sensei stood forward, and had a shy look on his face. "Hello there. My name is Stephen Brooks, sensei of the San Francisco dojo. Well, the names of my—"

"We got it, thanks for the lame introduction." Drake snapped. He shoved Stephen away, and faced the groups, giving us all a wide grin, casting glances at me from time to time. I felt like standing up, and slapping him across the face, maybe even pummeling him to the ground.

But I couldn't.

Sadly, this is the first time ever where fear has controlled my life.

It's like I'm not the confident girl I used to be.

"Okay, allow me to introduce _myself, _thank you very much. I'm Drake Evans, who in reality is more capable of running our dojo than that loser over there. My dojo members are all guys thankfully—Max, Brad, Eugene, Tyler, and Adam, who actually make a decent performance in martial arts. See, we…we like winning. Competitions. P.E. games. Especially things like this. And we don't just like winning…we thrive at winning. In other words, I'd say you guys better watch you back…_all _of you." And his eyes fell on me, with a tsunami soaring through his sea-blue eyes and an angry glare. "Because if we don't win…no one does. Anyway, thank you." He sat back down in his seat.

Did he just say that?

That was probably the rudest introduction I've ever heard.

His group attempted to applaud, but it seemed to be that they were the only ones to applaud.

None of us looked happy.

Especially Bobby.

"Thank you for that…introduction, if you will." Kevin said. "Next group please?"

That was Grace's group. Ultimately making us last.

A stern looking Mr. Miller stood up, along with the other groups. "My name is Eric Miller head of the…Miami dojo. My students are Grace, who is my daughter, Kelly, Josh, Nick, Victor, and Daniel. We also wish to win just like everybody else…hopefully we will be able to achieve that goal." The applaud came out a bit half-hearted, after Drake's horribly disrespectful speech. Bobby's smile wasn't as jolly, and Kevin's face seemed a bit sterner. As soon as they saw us, their faces seemed to brighten up a little bit.

"Now, lastly we come to you. Introduce yourselves, please." Bobby said. Rudy stood up and gave us all a thumps up, as we stood up along with them.

We planned out this introduction, and damn right we'll sell it.

"My name is Rudy Steiner. And I'm the head of the San Jose dojo in California." Rudy said with a confident smile. He turned to Eddie.

"I'm Eddie…I may not seem like the most athletic person, but I am a dedicated person who has a strong passion for martial arts. Oh, and I like Falafel." A chorus of tiny laughter echoed from the rest of the group. Eddie turned to Jerry.

"I'm Jerry…your average, obnoxious, Mexican 14-year-old…but a guy who's been through a lot." I saw Jerry lock eyes with Grace for a minute. Grace's slightly angered expression mixed with sympathy "But that's why I joined martial arts. To forget about those things, and meet people who actually care. Even if they aren't in this dojo." Grace and Jerry exchanged smiles.

_Whoa, wait…did I miss something? _

Jerry turned to Milton.

"I'm Milton…not the most athletic person either…but I am good at school. And a lot of the times, I can connect my favorite subjects, Physics, with martial arts. But I also took it because I felt I really belonged here. That I needed to take the risk and prove to others, I'm not just some vegetable. And I met some really good friends along the way to show me that." Milton smiled at me.

"I'm Kim...not your typical 14-year-old girl, but I am someone who does have a lot of passions. And martial arts is one of them…I joined it to break the stereotype of girls not being able to do athletic things. I means, look around you…there are only four girls who take karate. But guess what," I smiled at Grace for a second. "We're all risk takers, who want to make it big with a passion we have. And I'm happy to be here."

And I turned my head to Jack.

"I'm Jack…I was and still am a skateboarder. An outcast who moved around a lot. While I was taught by my Grandfather, I wasn't able to find time to do martial arts. Until, I met all these…amazing people to help me out and take the risk. Because of them, I now know my true passion…and what I want to do for the rest of my life."

"And together, and I know this is a little cheesy," Rudy teased. "But we're the Wasabi Warriors. Ready to take on this challenge. And ready to get you that sword."

The applause was probably the loudest after hearing our introduction. Smiles grew on our faces, and I could see Grace smiling and clapping, while of course, Drake had a vicious glare on his face. I could see Bobby blowing his nose into a tissue.

"Just…so…beautiful!" Bobby cried, blowing his nose once more.

"I know!" Kevin cried. "We need to get ourselves together…we're live, you know."

"Oh, right!" Bobby yelled, and smiled right into the camera. "Well, talk about saving the best for last! Anyway, so those were all our finalists, all going to go head to head in search for the ultimate Miao Dao sword! Who will win the prize? And where is it hidden? How will pandemonium ensue? Well, there's only one way to find out! Tune in next week at eight to find out how it will all end. I'm your host Bobby Wasabi, and we'll see you next time."

"And cut!" I heard Eric scream from behind. I was a bit startled to see him—it was like he was never in the room. "That's a wrap!"

"Now," Bobby said. "Allow me give you the entire fifth clue. Now let me warn you, this clue is probably the hardest clue we've ever given. So I wish you all the best of luck. The clues will be here for all of you shortly. And for the group, who had discovered the object, would please report to me after the gathering. Thank you for your cooperation and sit tight. We'll be giving it out shortly."

Rudy gave us a giddy smile and began to high-five all of us. "Guys that was great! The viewers are going to love us even more now!"

"Yeah that's great, super-duper," Jerry said a bit too hastily. "I'm just going to run over there so—"

"Jerry?" I questioned, stopping him. He rolled his eyes and turned around to face me.

"Yes, mother?" Jerry teased.

"Are you perhaps running over to see anyone in particular? Like a girl, or…?"

"Maybe. Maybe not." Jerry answered.

"No way!" I hissed. "You like Grace, don't you?"

"Maybe. Maybe not." Jerry repeated. I rolled my eyes.

Now this was hard to believe. My best girl-friend together with my best guy-friend?

"First Milton and Julie, and now you and Grace? Oh…this finding-love job is harder than I thought." I exasperated.

"Yeah, instead of helping us find love, why don't _you_ go find love…with a special someone that I know would be perfect for you. Eh?" Jerry smiled goofily, staring at Jack, who rolled his eyes, and stared at him in disbelief. I glared at him.

"Just go." I said. "I'll deal with you later." Laughing, Jerry ran over to Grace and started talking with her. I could see laughing, chatting…maybe flirting?

"Well, just remember…keep your eyes open, and just remain calm…studies show anxiety and pressure prevents the human brain from working on full force so—" Milton paused to look at his phone that had buzzed. As soon as he saw the message, his eyes widened.

"Milton?" I asked, putting a comforting hand on his arm. "What's the matter?"

"JULIE'S LEAVING NOW?" Milton screeched. "No! I'm not ready! She can't go! We haven't even left Paris yet! She—"

"Milton!" Jack screamed. "Calm down, man! What did she say?"

"She texted me saying that the Summer Adventurer's group saw about the interference...so they have to start their project all over again, and they're forced to go to Germany for the rest of the summer! I need to say goodbye to her!"

"And she tells you this _now?_" Eddie asked. "Wow…she is not a good girlfriend."

"Milton, we all need to be here for the clue!" Rudy yelled. "Don't worry…we'll all leave as soon as we can."

"Yeah, we want to say goodbye too." Eddie said. Milton had an apprehensive look on his face.

"Oh…alright! But we get the clue and we're gone!" Milton screamed. "She's probably on her way to the airport!" We all nodded, and we saw five people appear into the room with a scroll in their hands. They handed it to each of the Senseis and took off. With a triumphant smile, Jerry ran back towards us, trying his best to avoid me from asking any questions, which just made me smile.

"Now, everybody checks out tomorrow morning. I wish you all the best of luck on this clue." Bobby said, and took off leaving us…alone in the banquet hall. We all crowded around Rudy and as he hastily unraveled the scroll, and we all read the message.

"_So, congratulations, you've made it this far_

_But beware of the dangers that awaits; it might leave a scar_

_This last place is where it started it all. _

_But it's not ready to end without a brawl. _

_So we wish the best of luck to you, _

_In finding the Miao Dao sword, as we give you the final clue. _

_BEIJING, CHINA." _

Our heads all rose up with shocked expressions plastered on all our faces, mixed in with disbelief. I looked back at the note, to see if maybe what I read was in my head….

But those last two words were right there in hard black ink.

_Beijing, China. _

"We're going to China…again?" Jack said. "Why am I not surprised?"

"I can't believe they actually directly told us where it is." I said. "This should be easy then…hopefully."

_Hopefully. _

"Remind me not to talk to strangers while I'm there…that will just get me in an Elvis costume again." Jerry said. We all laughed.

"Alright, so this is staying with me, safe and sound." Rudy said, placing it in his bag. "Now let's all just go to our rooms, get some rest and pack up…we have another ten hour flight to endure tomorrow."

"Forget going to our rooms! I—I mean we—need to see Julie!" And with a nervous chuckle Milton rushed off, and with an irritated groan, we all rushed behind him so we could say our goodbyes to Julie and her group.

With a mix of emotions flooding through my brain and of course, heart.

Excitement

Anxiety.

Fear.

And my newest:

Doubt.

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><p><strong>AN-Okay, a bit of an abrupt ending, but it was getting too long¸ so I had to stop right there and build up a bit of suspense. But hope you enjoyed the chapter! I really don't have much to review on…this chapter wasn't really 'action-packed' and I do apologize for that. But don't worry, prepare for the unexpected when the gang takes off to CHINA again! Predictions? Guesses? Will they find the sword? Share your thoughts by clicking that blue button below! **

**Okay, so I do kind of feel bad. Maybe that ending was a bit too abrupt…**

**Eh, what the hell. **

**SURPRISE! **

**I'll give you an excerpt of the next chapter….of Milton and Julie's tender goodbye!**

**Haha, enjoy! **

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><p><span>KIM<span>

_All this running…_

Milton bursted through the doors of the airport, and we all rushed behind him to go find Julie. Unfortunately, by the time we were at the lobby, Julie and her group was already gone to the airport off to Frankfurt. There were only ten minutes left until her flight took off, and it seemed that Milton was going to lose it unless he could say goodbye to Julie. Battling the crowd, our heads peered over to catch sight of the red-head, or possibly the security gate. However, with it being summer in Paris, the airport was packed…I was just worried if we would all get lost in the crowd.

"Where is she, where IS she?" Milton screeched. Jerry shoved him through the crowd, knocking over people

"Milton, go faster!" Jerry screeched. "She's probably at security!"

Luckily, our eyes caught attention to the large security line and we were able Julie and her group was all about to hand over the tickets to the security guard. Screeching her name, Milton and the rest of us shoved the people in our way, and rushed over to her. Julie turned around, and faced us in shock and disbelief, staring at Milton.

"Milton…you came." Julie said, with a grateful smile. "I didn't think you would."

"Well, I won't be seeing you for the rest of the summer…this was my only chance to say goodbye." Milton said. With a smile, they pulled eachother into a hug. The rest of us backed away slightly, letting them to have their moment. I couldn't help but smile at the cuteness of them together¸ eyes locked, in an embrace with smiles on their faces. I leaned towards Jack.

"If they don't kiss, I will seriously beat the crap out of Milton." I hissed in Jack's ear. He laughed. We saw Milton and Julie pull away and smile at eachother.

"I'm really going to miss you Julie." Milton said. "It was…amazing to get to spend time with you here."

"I'll miss you too." Julie said. "The only reason why I had an amazing time in Paris…was because of you." They began to lean in towards eachother, so close to kissing…

"Hey!" Somebody called from the line in a deep French accent. "You're holding up the line, skinny boy!"

"_Arrêter! Leur laisser __leur moment_!" The female security guard screamed in a heavy French accent. She turned to Milton and Julie and gave them a wide smile.

"You go ahead and finish up." She smiled. Milton and Julie smiled at eachother¸ and they _finally _made the decision, and brushed their lips on top of eachothers.

They. Finally. Kissed.

_YES! THANK THE GODS!_

As soon as they pulled away, I couldn't help but scream out an "Aw!" and leap in to give Milton and Julie a hug.

"You finally did it!" I said happily. Blushing, Milton stepped away from the embrace, and stepped aside, which made me laugh in disbelief. I turned to Julie and Cindy.

"Well, thanks for everything. Really, if it weren't for you guys, we would be taking a plane ride back to San Jose instead of China."

"You're going to China? Really?" Cindy exclaimed. "Tell my grandma I said hi!"

I laughed. "Will do, Cindy. Thanks for helping us out….we'll see you in September, I guess. Have fun in Germany!"

"Thanks, Kim! Call me sometime!" Cindy squealed, and she wrapped her arms around me. Julie gave me a hug as well, and with a wave at the rest of the boys, they both ran off to catch their flight to Germany that was leaving in five minutes. We all huddled around and Milton had a shy smile on his face.

"WHOA." Eddie exclaimed.

"Well, Milton didn't know you had it in you!" Jack teased. Milton rolled his eyes.

"Shut up," He said. Ever since he kissed Julie, his cheeks were in a dark red color. I put a comforting hand on his arm.

"See? I told you could do it…your welcome." I smiled.

"Thanks Kim…for everything." He said, smiling. "That was the best moment of my LIFE."

"Well, be happy because it's the only one you're getting." Jerry teased. Milton smacked him playfully.

"Alright then…let's go." Eddie said. "We have our own flight to catch tomorrow. Hopefully we'll able to do with it with a lot less haste." Laughing, we all walked out of the airport with smiles on our faces, this time with a lot more confidence.

The Wasabi Warriors were ready for Beijing, China.

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><p><strong>AN-Okay, now that's the end! Yeah, I know it was a little quick, and abrupt, but I really wanted Millie to FINALLY kiss! Haha, anyway, hope you enjoyed it! Prepare for China! **

**REVIEW! Thanks guys!**

**~Taylor **


	15. Made in China

**A/N- Oh my goodness! I can't apologize enough for not updating in so long! Finals have been killing me. Anyway, this is probably one of my worst chapters but I had to give this in for you before summer begins and I'm off on vacation…so enjoy the chapter! **

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><p><span>KIM<span>

I know, I know, this _is _the second time we've been in China.

Yet, I still feel like I'm dreaming after being here for two hours.

After being welcomed courteously by a chauffeur at the airport, we'd finally made it to our hotel, and let me tell you; out of the three hotels we've been to, this by far was the finest one we've stayed in. Not by quality. Not by size. Not even by how many chocolates they place under your pillow.

By culture.

Just when seeing the outside of the Grand View Garden Hotel in Beijing, you could definitely tell it was really "Made in China". The exterior looked like a Chinese temple that I caught glimpses of on the way here. There was a pond on the side with koi fish happily swimming inside along with lotuses floating on top. It seemed like I was being invited to meet the Chinese Emperor. Even when entering the lobby, you could just sense the waft of Chinese culture spreading throughout the room. Known for their art, there were many beautiful nature-centric pieces of art painted on vertical canvas, hanging on the cream-colored walls. Green plants were placed on stands¸ next to the wooden, high-quality sofas and chairs. Lanterns hung up from the wall, brightly lit up, with Chinese hieroglyphs engraved on each of the lanterns. An intuit of excitement rushed over me, and I almost felt like just throwing my bags to the ground, and exploring more of China, more than I did last time.

Of course, that's when my Jetlag stepped in to refuse.

While our flight had landed in the middle of the night, and we were in the deserted lobby all alone, Jerry and Eddie collapsed on the sofas, with bags under their eyes, for the first time _not_ being their usual hyper selves. Milton could barely stand, as he leaned against his luggage, shutting his eyes from time-to-time, but shooting them back up, as his suitcase would topple due to his weight on it. Rudy by far, looked the worst. His eyes were completely bloodshot, with bags underneath, and his entire face was as pale as snow, apart from his nose which was colored in a flustered red. He, as well, could barely stand, tumbling every step he went, which caused me to worry a bit. Jack looked just as tired as well, but managed to pull it together and be the "resourceful" one in the group

"Rudy?" He called, clutching his arms for support. Rudy's eyes were barely open, and he sniffed his nose, staring at Jack.

"Oh, hey Jerry…what time is it?" Rudy said lethargically, shrinking his eyebrows while his eyes were about to be closed. With his eyes dilated, Jack shook his arms to wake him up.

"Rudy, it's me Jack, not Jerry." Jack said. All Rudy did was close his eyes further. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"I…I'm not feeling too good." Rudy breathed. "I'm never a good long-distance traveler…I feel really cold, and weak and tired, mommy. I need some chicken soup." And Rudy's head fell on Jack's shoulder, snoring loudly. Jack and I exchanged worried looks, and he set Rudy down on the bench, leaving him to sleep. Milton remained standing, but by the looks of it, he's probably not going to be there long.

"Nice way to start off our revisit to China." Jack said. "Rudy's sick. Now what should we do?"

I shrugged. "I don't know…I guess we'll just have to figure out where the sword is ourselves then. But we shouldn't pressurize Rudy. He's been traveling a lot and working pretty hard to keep us out of trouble…so the least we can do for him is a little pampering and let him rest."

Jack nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you're probably right. Come on, we'll just go check in ourselves. And we should probably hurry, before the other groups come in and start making fun of us or something."

"Wait!" Milton cried indolently, grabbing my hand as a support to help him stand up from the suitcase. "Can I come? I need to divert myself somehow from sleeping. Studies show the only way to regulate the time differences with Jetlag is to not sleep for 24 hours. Well, my studies anyway." Rolling my eyes, we agreed for Milton to come along with us to the main desk to check ourselves into the Grand View Garden Hotel. We approached a young lady with pin-straight jet-black hair flowing over her shoulders, wearing a flower-printed blouse, and a kind, yet weary smile on her face.

"Welcome to the Grand View Garden Hotel, how can I help you?" The lady said in a heavy Chinese accent.

"Hi, we're from the Bobby Wasabi dojo, we're participating in The Hunt sponsored by Bobby Wasabi…we'd like to check in." Milton said, clearly trying to avert himself from sleeping. Looking a little puzzled, the lady typed furiously on her keyboard, and slightly narrowed her eyes. Her face brightened up as she stared at us again.

"Ah, yes, yes, of course! Hello, hello! Well, this stay already paid for, so you will be staying in the Ming Suite, which is two-bedroom suite. Here are your keys," She handed us a laminated card. "Few men will come shortly to gather your things."

"Thank you so much." I smiled.

"Just one more thing, please?" The lady said. "Who are you in relationship with? The handsome brown haired boy or the skinny, tired boy?"

My cheeks colored, and I clenched my teeth.

"Hey! I am not skinny!" Milton protested, "I'm just not…obese okay?" Jack patted his back awkwardly.

"Um, I'm not in a relationship with anybody." I muttered. She giggled.

"Well, you need help dating, you let me know!" The lady giggled. "Anyway, I hope you enjoy your stay here at the Grand View Garden Hotel. Is there anything else you need?"

"Um, no I don't think—" I started.

I was cut off by a chorus of loud, abrupt snoring. We spun our heads around, seeing Jerry and Eddie asleep on top of eachother, while Rudy was collapsed on the couch, snuggling himself for warmth. We turned around, staring at the lady apologetically.

"Actually," Jack said, staring at the receptionist, grinning sheepishly. "Think you could get some men to carry them to our room?"

* * *

><p><em>I. Can't. Sleep.<em>

I shifted from side to side on the lumpy mattress, struggling for my eyelids to shut into a deep slumber so I can rest well for the 'Hunting' of the Miao Dao sword. Unfortunately, my eyelids weren't willing to cooperate. All I did was continuing twisting and turning, with thoughts flowing through my mind nonstop, no matter how exhausted I seemed from the ten-hour flight. Fed up, I shot up from my bed, and stared at the clock in fury.

_04:30. _

Oh right, they have a 24-hour-clock, don't they?

So it's 4:30.

_A.M. _

I tossed the comforters to the side and walked into the guys' room, to check whether they were all asleep or not. Slowly twisting the doorknob, I tip-toed inside, seeing Rudy huddled to one side on one bed, with Milton asleep on the floor, and Jerry and Eddie snoring on the other bed with their arms and legs flaying all over the place. There was a chorus of wheezing resonating around the room, which almost made me laugh. Yet, on the side I saw a wide-awake brunette sitting on the couch concentrating deeply as he stared at his laptop, being the only glow of light in the entire hotel room.

"Jack?"

He shot his head up and gave me fatigued smile.

"Hey…didn't get any sleep?" He chuckled. I smiled and walked over to him sitting next to him on the couch.

"Sadly no…stupid Jetlag." I muttered. He chuckled. "What about you?"

"Me neither. I'm exhausted, but I couldn't get any sleep on this lumpy couch." He groaned. I shifted my head to get a better view of the laptop, but the sudden brightness of light shunned my eyes.

"What are you doing on the computer?" I asked shading my eyes. "If it's about the freaky legend thing you were scared about—"

"I was not scared!" Jack hissed defensively. "I was just…astonished…and you know, amazed… that's all."

"Right."

"But anyway, I'm trying to find a place in China where they sell swords or make them. Maybe the Miao Dao sword could be hidden there."

My eyes flickered with interest as I allowed my eyes to adjust to the brightness of the screen. "That's a good idea…but we need to be careful on where we go. Rudy's in no position to do anything."

I stared at Rudy snuggling his blanket for warmth, and his teeth slightly chattering. Even in the darkness, I could infer the color had drained away from his skin, and his nose as red as Rudolph's. I stared at Jack in apprehension.

"Jack, let's call a doctor." I asked. "I'm getting worried about Rudy."

"Right, because doctors just _love _being awake at four thirty in the morning." Jack snapped. I rolled my eyes.

"This is serious." I said. Jack sighed.

"Look, we'll just call a doctor in the morning, and have Rudy rest. That's why _I'm _doing all the planning…and I think I just found out where we're going."

I casted my attention towards the computer, and saw a page entitled _Wong Swords Incorporated_, with a picture of a large brick building, which resembled the appearance of…a large abandoned warehouse. Jack and I exchanged puzzled looks.

"Yeah. This should be the place. It says that this place has been making swords for over a hundred years, and it's a really famous company. I say we go first thing when the others wake up. We need to find that sword before anybody else does."

"But…are you sure it's in there? I mean, look at the place…it seems a bit too…obvious." I said in complete doubt. Reluctantly¸ Jack stared at the screen with an anxious look, and stared at the guys as they all were in a deep sleep.

"Do we have a choice?" Jack asked. "I mean, I don't see anyone having a better idea. We have to try, Kim. It's our only option right now. We have to go with every opportunity we can…for Rudy at least."

"But, I'm sure there are plenty of other swords making factories…and I think Bobby would hide it in a place with a little more class." I stared at the picture of the worn-out indecent looking building, and cringed in disgust.

"You never know. The sword could be anywhere—the clue wasn't exactly helpful, if you ask me." Jack said.

"Yeah, I mean Beijing is such a huge city…at this rate, Bobby might have hidden it in a gas station." Jack chuckled.

"Well, let's at least _try _looking here…it's a worth a shot, right?"

I nodded. "I guess you're right."

As my arm lazily rested on his, my eyelids started growing heavy, as they were shutting from time to time…when this moment was him was just so serene…just so perfect.

How ironic.

And ith a yawn, my head dropped on Jack's shoulder.

"Jack?"

"Hmm?"

"What if we don't find the sword? What if someone…beats us to it?" My voice was soft, and my eyes were struggling to stay awake.

"We're going to get that sword. I know we are."

I yawned once more. My eyelids felt heavy, as they shut themselves down, while I would resist the urge and attempt to raise them again.

"How do you know that?"

"Because…_you're_ here."

And my eyes closed into a deep sleep.

* * *

><p>"How is he?"<p>

The Chinese doctor narrowed his eyes in concentration, as he yanked the thermometer out of Rudy's tongue. Rudy wrapped himself in the blankets, his face looking pale with a sickly, faded green shade deftly flowing through his skin. His eyes would barely open, and you could see his body trembling vulnerably. The five of us, who had all finally woke up, darted our eyes between Rudy and the doctor impatiently, desperately waiting to hear the results.

"It has seemed that your little short man friend have a high infection in the digestive system, which is causing him to feel nauseous, and present fever symptoms." The doctor said struggling a bit to talk in English.

"Um…in English please?" Jerry questioned. The doctor glared at him.

"Stomach flu." Milton said, patting Jerry on the back. His face brightened with understanding¸ as he stared at Rudy in pity.

"Do you have any medicine that could help?" Eddie asked "You know, like an insta-tylenol or something like that? He needs to get better ASAP."

The doctor furrowed his brow, staring at the boy quizzically and shook his head.

"No. Short man needs plenty of rest. More he rests, faster he gets better." He pulled a pack of pills out of his bag, and handed it to me.

"Give these two times a day, one in morning and another in afternoon. In a few days, he should be stronger and relieved of this 'stomach flu'. But he mustn't do anything, and get out of bed; otherwise he could be in danger of being admitted in hospital."

Rudy groaned.

"Thanks, doctor." Jack said with a bit anxiety. With a nod, the doctor walked out of the room, leaving us five kids staring at a sickly looking adult, who looked worse than my great grandpa before he…never mind.

"Rudy?" I called, sitting by him on the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Not…good…might…be…" Rudy's eyes widened, and he hastily jumped out his covers and ran as fast as he could to the bathroom, slamming the door shut, with faint, violent regurgitating noises echoing from the bathroom. All of us exchanged disgusted and helpless looks.

"What are we going to do?" Milton asked. "Look at him! He's vomiting as we speak! How are we going to find the sword now?"

"Hey, who said we _can't _find the sword without Rudy?" Jack countered. "Look, we're getting that sword no matter what. It's what Rudy would want us to do. I won't suggest asking him for his opinion, though—he's a little busy at the moment."

"Jack—this isn't Spy Kids." Jerry argued.

"Yeah,in case you haven't noticed, we're the _kids!_" Eddie yelled. "In a country across the world! We at least need one adult figure…and if something happens to us¸ then…what are we supposed to do?"

"Eddie…it's a chance we just have to take." I said. "And I don't care about winning that stupid prize. All I want is to find that sword so we can lift the curse, and put it where it belongs. Not in a display case. Or in Drake's greedy little hands."

Milton, Jerry and Eddie exchanged worried looks and stared right back at Jack and me, looking reluctant.

"I have a possible location…if that helps?" Jack attempted. "I found a place with Kim while you guys were sleeping."

"But Jack…" Jerry said. "We're just a small group of misfits…just a group of kids that—"

"That's where you're wrong." I said.

"Huh?"

"We're not just kids…we're warriors that never give up."

* * *

><p><span>JERRY<span>

_Does God really hate us that much? _

Five kids. Staying in a country across the world. All alone. With no adult supervision. Finding a damn sword.

Is it just me, or does that sound _really_ wrong?

Before this started¸ back home I would've been in love with the idea of being on our own without adults nagging us and restricting us from doing what we want. Well, it wouldn't make much more of a difference…my dad wouldn't even give a crap if I was in the hospital.

But here?

Uh uh—Jerry don't _do _running alone in a separate country. I know it seems pretty un-swaggish of me to not adore the idea of being alone, but when there are five groups that are technically out to get you, even the biggest bad-ass guy wouldn't want to go lurking around town. They'd probably _want _a third degree black belt by their side.

While Milton, Jack and Kim were doing a last-minute check-up on Rudy, and gathering anything else we needed to survive on this mini expedition, I was down at the lobby with Eddie, with my back rested on the wooden couch, not-so-eagerly waiting for the threesome to come down to the lobby and start heading our way towards that sword factory. I had to constantly keep Eddie from shutting his eyes—looks like someone hasn't gotten used to the China time. I shook Eddie vigorously, as his tired eyes slit open.

"Dude, you need to stay awake!" I scolded. "And keep your eyes open! We have to stay focused and find the sword! We can't afford any sort of—"

"Jerry!"

I spun my head around, seeing a girl with long brunette hair peeking out of the corner. She locked eyes with mine, and motioned me towards her. I blinked once more to see if it was true…and she was gone. Barely catching a glimpse of the girl who had somehow known my name, I turned my head towards Eddie with a puzzled look.

"Eddie did you see who that—"

"Give it a rest man. I'm not stupid—I know you know that it's Grace. Are you _trying _to make me jealous?"

_That was Grace? _

"I wasn't trying to—"

"Just shut it. You better go—your girlfriend is waiting for you." And with a hurt scowl, he trudged away.

"Eddie! Come on man, let's talk!" I screamed. Rather than stopping in his tracks, Eddie continued to walk away from me, not even bothering to turn his head back. A guilty feeling washes over me, as I started processing the terrible misunderstanding.

This was the first fight I've really ever had between me and Eddie. I mean sure¸ we did have those little lighthearted tiffs on the way…but never a serious fight…an argument over a girl.

"Jerry!"

I spun around once more, now catching a better glimpse of Grace's face. Her lips slightly pouting in frustration, and her doe-like eyes wide with impatience¸ giving a more vigorous hand gesture. Reluctantly, I made my way towards her, and rather than the typical 'hello, how are you?' she grabbed my hand, and pulled me into a large bush, unfortunately causing me to topple the ground and hit my head.

"Aw Grace, what the hell?" I whined, clutching my head in impatience.

"Sorry. I just really needed to talk to you…like desperately." Grace said, her voice trembling. My eyes met hers, and I noticed there were…tears building up in her eyes.

_Awkward. _

"Are you okay?" Was all I could manage. "Why'd you have to drag me all the way here and make me hide behind a bush? You could've just talked to me in the lobby, you know."

"You idiot, if I could I would, instead of dragging your fat body over here!" Grace retorted. "I'm kind of, not supposed to talk to you."

"Why not? Who said that?" I demanded. The tears rolled down her cheeks, as I could feel her short, anxious breaths walking on me.

"My dad." She said. "I can't talk to you or anyone in your group…but that's not important. What's important is that—"

"No, that actually is important." I stopped. Our faces were drawn closer together, as she stared at me baffled.

"What are you talking about?"

"I mean you can't let your dad force you who you can or cannot talk to. Don't make the same mistake I made, Grace. I mean, come on, who is he to you anyway?"

"Uh, my _dad_!" Grace hissed. "Look, that's not what I came to tell you."

"Then out with it, girl!" I hissed. "What—is that you have finally realized your feelings for me?"

"You can be really annoying sometimes." Grace shuddered. "Wait…do you want there to be feelings?"

My cheeks colored.

"Maybe. Maybe not."

"Jerry, just shut up for one second and listen to me!" Grace said grabbing me by the shoulders. "I heard you were going to _Wong Swords Incorporated_ to look for the sword—right?"

"Well, I—"

"RIGHT? Jerry, you can trust me. Just like I trust you"

"You trust me?"

"Don't change the subject. Are you going to look for the sword there—yes or no?"

"Fine. Yes."

"I'm telling you right now—don't go."

I looked up at Grace in utter astonishment. "Why? I thought you said I could trust you."

"And you can, which is why I'm telling you not to go!" The tears harshly flowed down her cheeks.

"Obviously I can't. You're just trying to get that sword before we do, aren't you? I should've known—I'm out of here." And with that, I stood up, but Grace pulled me back down.

"Jerry! I'm telling you the truth! You need to trust me on this! Don't go to that factory!"

"And why not?" I demanded.

"I…I can't tell you." Grace said softly, her voice filled with remorse. For a minute, I felt pity seeing her so helpless, so unsure, so…worried…about me?

But then I realized it was all a trick.

_Trust no one. _

"I knew it. You're just like all the other jerks in this competition. You just want that sword for yourself, don't you? You just want to win that stupid prize, and show off to Kim? Well, I'm not going to let _any _of that happen."

Grace's eyes widened. "What? Jerry, you know that's not true!"

"It's not?" I screamed. "Then why can't you tell me why I can't go to the factory?"

Grace's head fell, and her face was covered in guilt. She opened her mouth as if she were to say something, but then closed it dreadfully. I shook my head in utter distress, and gave Grace a cold, hurtful stare.

"That's what I thought." And with a scoff, I stood up from behind the bush, and started walking out trying to desperately look for my other friends so that we can _go _to that sword factory to see if the sword was there…

When I felt a strong hand fall on mine.

I stopped in my tracks and faced Grace, who gave me an anxious look, mixed in with an impatient one. Her pleading eyes locked with mine, and it seemed she was ready to fall into a corner and cry.

"Jerry. Please believe me. Don't go to that factory. You just have to take my word for it… Please."

_Is she telling the truth? _

_Should I believe her?_

"Jerry!"

I spun my head around once more coming face-to-face with a puzzled Jack, Kim, and Milton with Eddie's back literally facing me. Kim waved at Grace, but all Grace did was look at me. While she wasn't telling me anything, I could still sense her words based on the worried expression she had plastered on her face.

_Don't do it, Jerry._

_Please don't do it. _

I released the grip from her hand, and walked towards the guys and started heading out towards the cab to get to _Wong Swords Incorporated_ to find that sword.

I spun my head around once more.

And she was gone.

* * *

><p><span>JACK<span>

You would think that a manufacturing factory would be somewhat high-tech. At least decent-looking. But when my eyes caught its attention towards this place, our eyes widened in shock.

When I said that Wong Swords Incorporated factory was abandoned…I really do mean _abandoned. _The tall, dirty brick building stood in the middle of nowhere with a demented door barely standing in the front. There was a large banner written in Chinese that was hung loosely on the building. Seeing this strange, unnerving place standing in such an isolated place made me miss the crazy traffic back at the city side with culture spread amok, and cars jammed everywhere.

After paying the driver, we got out of the cab staring at the place in fear as the cab drove away. I cast a glance towards Kim who seemed utterly baffled and disgusted.

"And you're sure this is the place where Bobby would hide a priceless sword?" Kim asked me. I shrugged.

"Well, I didn't see_ you_ having a better idea."

"I was taking care of Rudy!" Kim snapped defensively. "I'm just praying that nothing's happened to him since when we left."

"Jack…I got a bad feeling about this." Milton said. "Maybe this is the wrong address. Are you sure?"

I nodded a bit hesitantly. "I mean, I printed out the address that I found on the website and just give it to him…so I'm pretty sure it's the right address."

"Dude, we are _so_ getting punk'd…Chinese style." Eddie said.

"Yeah, I say we just go home. This is obviously not the place." Jerry said.

"Let's not give up…come on guys, we need to stick together. This is our best option." And with a reluctant sigh, they all started following me towards the vacant, eerie warehouse. With a little force, we managed to open the heavy metal door. With a lump forming in my throat, we all started trudging into the dark factory. The place seemed incredibly large, but with the sea of blackness spread across the building, it was hard to see anything. We heard the heavy door slam shut, which caused us to slightly jump in fear. All of us exchanged fearful looks as the place was too dark to even see anything. I felt Kim tug on my arm.

"Jack, this is obviously the wrong address. There's nothing here." She hissed.

"Jack, where are you?" Milton said. "I can't see anything!"

"I'm scared." Jerry said. "Really scared."

"And you wonder why Grace doesn't want to go out with you?" Eddie retorted. While I couldn't see their facial expressions, I could definitely sense the tension flying in between the two.

"Seriously dude you need to shut your—"

"GUYS! You need to calm down! Eddie, Jerry I know you two aren't getting along but you seriously need to suck it up Come on, let's just look for a switch."

"But if this was a factory shouldn't there be people here?" I heard Kim's voice close to me.

"Well I mean—"

_CRASH!_

With a chorused scream, we all darted our eyes in all directions, searching for the source of the crash. Impulsively, I searched for Kim's hand and grabbed it.

"Aliens!" Eddie screamed.

"Ghosts!" Jerry shrieked.

"Where's the exit?" Milton bawled.

"What was that?" Kim screamed. "Jack, we need to get out of here! This place is scaring the hell out of me!"

"Alright, alright let's—"

"_AAAH!" _

Suddenly Kim's hand was no longer squeezing my hand, as if she had drifted away. Panicking, I started agitatedly sprinting towards the exit, screaming her name.

Screaming everyone's name.

Because they were all gone.

"GUYS! KIM! WHERE—"

"_AH!" _

That scream came from me.

Why?

A pair of robust arms seized my arms and neck, preventing me from making any sort of escape. I hastily attempted at shaking away from the rigid grasp but it seemed to render itself impossible and useless.

I was trapped.

"KIM! JERRY! MIL—"

A hand clasped over my mouth.

And a menacing whisper cut through my ears like knives.

"_So close. Yet so far, huh? Make one move, and your beloved friends get it." _

My eyes were wide in fear, shock and helplessness.

"_Please, we can't trust this kid. We can't trust anybody. Sedate him." _

Before I could do anything, a sickening, foul odor sealed my nose and the more I inhaled the intoxicating smell, the fainter I felt.

In a matter of seconds, I could feel the voices and laughter growing into whispers.

And in a matter of seconds, I was greeted into yet another sea of darkness.

* * *

><p><strong>AN- OH MY GOODNESS! The Wasabi Warriors have been kidnapped! Who could've done it? Yeah, I know this chapter was kind of short and aprubt but I hope you all like it! Leave your responses by reviewing! Thanks guys! **

**Taylor **


	16. Secrets Revealed

**A/N- Hi guys! So I am here with Chapter 16 of The Hunt! Wow, this story is taking longer than expected…should only be a few more chapters until this story is finally finished! Anyway, this may be my last update because as it's summer, I'll be going out of the country on the 12****th**** of July…and I don't know if I'll be able to connect to the internet over there…so in other words be prepared for a possible 3-4 week hiatus. But I'll try to squeeze in one last update before I leave! **

**Enjoy the chapter! I think you'll love this one! **

KIM

_Wake up, Kim. _

_Wake up. _

My fatigued eyes slowly rose, and I was greeted into a never-ending sea of pure darkness. I darted my head this way and that, searching for a possible source of light, but the strong pain of my neck prevented me from moving any further. I could feel scrapes and cuts stinging on my cold, bare skin, as well as my entire body aching terribly. My heart was thumping out of my chest, as it pounded heavily in apprehension, with sweat beading down my temples. Breathing shortly and quickly in anxiety, I struggled to get up, and look around to see where I was…

When I realized that I couldn't.

Why?

My legs as well as my arms had been tied.

The fact that I couldn't use my arms and legs started to question whether I was dead or not. I struggled releasing from the ropes that were tied but it soon became no use. The ropes were strapped tightly onto my arms and legs, preventing me from making any movement. The rough material of the rope scraped against my skin, causing me to wince in pain as it burned through my flesh. The nerves in my body seemed to have shut down, making every form of movement like heaving a heavy rock. I

I was trapped.

I looked around, searching for anything…anybody. Where's Jack? Where are the others? Where am I?

Who did this?

"Hello! Is anybody there?" I screeched weakly.

"_Well, look who we have here?" _

The lights suddenly flickered on, piercing through my eyes, and I found myself sitting in a dirty looking room, the room so tiny it might as well could've been a closet. The walls were molded in cemented brick, and the cold, marble floor shuffled against my skin, making me feel sicker than I already felt. I looked around curiously, searching for the source of the voice…

And I saw a pair of Chuck Taylors slowly approaching me.

I slowly looked up from the sneakers, seeing a very familiar boy staring down at me with a villainous grin. I narrowed my eyes in frustration, as he leaned towards me.

"Hello again. So nice to see you again"

"Why am I not surprised that it's you, _Drake?"_

Drake chuckled as a few other boys walked up into the light behind him. I tried to mask on a confident look, but on the inside there were butterflies angrily pacing in my stomach, ready to regurgitate it all in utter fear and helplessness.

"Oh, sweetie it's not—"

"Enough of the sweet talk Drake." I snapped, simultaneously struggling to release from the ropes strapped onto my skin. "What's wrong with you? What did I ever do wrong to you? What do you know about me that I don't?"

At first Drake narrowed his eyes in confusion, wondering what I was talking about.

But in a matter of seconds he knew.

And so did I.

_That night. _

"Ah, so I see you've received my letter." Drake said slyly.

"Answer the question, Mr. Serial Killer." I retorted.

"You still don't remember, don't you?" He asked. All I did was give him a blank, angry stare.

"Remember what?" I said. Drake let out a deep sigh and cleared his throat.

"You want to know what really happened? Fine. It was a couple of years ago. We both were up for our black belt tests. The thing is only one member per dojo could get their black belts at a time. So we had to compete against each other in a final tournament…whoever takes the opponent down first gets the black belt. Sensei Ty was rooting for you, which got me even more angry. And our match was pretty intense, but surprisingly—"

"I won." I said, deep in thought.

I remember everything.

"No need to rub it in Blondie." He remarked icily.

"Wait so that was…_you?" _I questioned in astonishment.

"And you're surprised because…?" He asked. "Well, I did get a lot sexier over the years so it makes sense. But anyway, so since you won, I got really mad, because I worked way more harder than you in karate. And I just went nuts, and cursed, and…things, so Sensei Ty kicked me out of the dojo, and sent me home…and I come home with another sad surprise."

"What is it?"

For the first time, I saw Drake's eyes fill with sorrow.

And for a split second, I nearly felt remorse for Drake.

"Let's just say that day ended up with me being an homeless orphan." Drake said, no longer making eye contact with me. I stopped struggling from the tight, flesh-eating ropes, and stared at Drake, as he tried to bring the words together to tell the story. "I just walked into my neighborhood, and I see my house on fire with police cars parked everywhere. And I didn't want to go to those damn foster homes…so I ran away. I went crazy. And I needed money…and when I saw you walk into the theatre…I figured it would be the perfect place to get my revenge, and get some money."

"I'm sorry."

And his eyes immediately switched back to enflamed ones.

"I don't need your sympathy. I don't need anyone's. That's why I moved in with my uncle in San Francisco and joined the Bobby Wasabi Dojo after the incident at the theatre."

"What happened to me?"

"You were lucky I didn't shoot you…but you got into a concussion when people started running out so that probably explains why you never recognized me. According to the newspapers I read, the doctors said that the incident had erased from your mind, and only a physical memory from the scene can bring it back."

I stared at Drake with wide eyes, utterly shocked at the unbelievable story Drake had just told me. Not only have I learned about that hole in my life that I've never gotten to learn…

I learned about another person's secret past.

"So you wanted to let your anger out on me by following me to the movie theatre and trying to _kill _me?"

"I deserved that belt. Not you. I didn't deserve for my parents to die, or for my life to completely change. You were like a bad luck charm added to my life. You've known me your entire life, yet you never took the chance of knowing me. Just like everybody else. You didn't even know all this time that I was right there ever since you were a little Black Dragon. And with this hunt opportunity…I plan on taking you and your friends down. So you get to know the feeling of losing someone."

The thought of that seemed too surreal.

I've _known _Drake ever since I was little?

And I didn't even realize it?

A part of me started to feel guilty. If I'd gotten to know Drake better…maybe none of this would've happened. Maybe he would've actually been a nice person…and I would've seen Drake for who he really was.

So once again.

I become part of the blame.

"I think you've had enough of a peak of my past…let's get back in business."

I gave him a really cold stare. "Drake, getting revenge on me isn't going to get your parents back."

"You're right…it's not. But getting rid of your friends won't be good for you, now will it?"

My eyes widened. "What did you do to my friends? Where am I? And what the hell is going on?

His sorrow, reminisced eyes, switched back to his sinister, sly smile. Back to summoning his diabolical plan.

Back to normal.

Just like that.

"Your friends are being taken care of, not to worry. They're fine for now." Drake said with a dry smile. "Where you are—well I can tell you we're not at that abandoned warehouse…there were too many easy escape routes. And what's going on—it's a bit of a long story, dear."

"Pretty vague responses Drake…well, I think you can tell me the so called 'story' considering that you've kidnapped me, and I have nothing to do about it."

"Who said _I _was the kidnapper?" Drake asked.

"What are you talking about?" I snapped.

"Okay, I clearly don't do a good job of explaining things… especially to a blonde."

_OH NO, HE DIDN'T. _

"Maybe I should hand this over to my friend here… Mr. Miller?"

_MR. MILLER?_

_GRACE'S FATHER? _

A tall, grown man approached into the light, and gave me a shameless grin. As they all walked towards me, I tried backing away, when I realized my body was already pinned against the cold wall.

"Mr. Miller?" I screeched. He waved at me nonchalantly. "You're the mastermind of this?"

"Hello Kim. So nice to see you again." He smiled.

"You…you did all this?" I repeated, in utter astonishment. All he did was entwine his fingers behind his back, and give a nod with a malevolent smile.

"Took you a while to figure it out." He said.

"How could you do this to me?" I demanded. Tears filled up in my eyes, with the feeling of utter betrayal piercing through me like a bullet. "I've known you ever since I was born…you were like family. And here you are, _kidnapping _me and holding me hostage."

"Yes, and then life got in the way of that fantasy, my dear." He said. "We figured with us three groups in the lead, we had to eliminate people. I mean, those other groups are already far behind. The one from North Carolina had taken the wrong plane. And the one from Texas had a couple of kids stuck with the flu…shame. Anyway, that was until Drake's group and mine decided to form an alliance. We could've joined you but of course…let's face it…you guys are useless. It's luck that you've made it this far."

"Why do you guys want that ultimate prize so bad? You're already rich as it is!" I screamed at Grace's father.

"You still don't know, do you?" Mr. Miller said.

"And you're surprised because…?" Drake said. "Look at her—she's a _blonde." _

I clenched my teeth together and gave Drake a penetrating stare. This is probably the tenth time, he's mentioned that I was a 'blonde' and I swear, if I weren't tied up, I would've beaten the hell out of that boy.

"Kim, this sword isn't something that once belonged in the pawn shop." Mr. Miller said. "The _Miao Dao _sword is priceless. Once we have the sword, we can finally perform the ceremony in front of the Chinese ancestors…and once we do, we'll gain ultimate power, with nothing stopping our way from doing what we want. We'll have the capability to gain ten times the money than what the prize money is. We'll have the power to become the number one dojo in the world. We can do whatever we want, and even take out anybody that gets in our way…like Bobby Wasabi. And we'll have the power to be…immortal."

My eyes widened in shock, utterly baffled. That legend that Jack was talking about…it was true?

_Immortality? _

Now this just turned into a fairytale.

"That's not possible." I said. "You can't gain immortality. This isn't _House of Anubis._"

"What?"

"Never mind."

"Anyway, we intend to get that sword one way or another, Kim." Grace's dad continued. "We already know where it's hidden. We figured out how to perform that ceremony. The only thing that was stopping us is the obstacle. But now that we've taken care of you…well there's no stopping us now."

"You can't do this! Let…me…go!" I screeched, struggling harder from the ropes tied to my arms and legs tightly.

"Sweetie…you should know that it's kind of redundant to demand that since…we're not going to release you. Not until the Hunt is over anyway." Drake smiled.

"How did you even know we were looking that factory?" I demanded.

"First of all, it seemed the most obvious, since that plan was devised by_ you_ guys. But there are some very sneaky computer geeks in our group who knows how to hack computer systems." Mr. Miller smiled. I rolled my eyes.

"What about Grace? I know that she wouldn't be okay with this." I said.

"On the contrary, my dear…this was her idea." Mr. Miller said.

My eyes dilated in shock, as I tried processing his last sentence. No. No way. No way would my best friend betray me like that…no way would she want to see more or my friends get hurt. Grace has made her mistakes…but that's too surreal to even think that she would actually _enjoy_ seeing me get hurt.

…Right?

"You're lying. She wouldn't. If anything, she would've kept me away from this." I said. Yet, you could hear the hesitance in my voice, as I recollected earlier when seeing Grace in the lobby.

If she knew about this…

She would've told me.

But she didn't.

"I thought you two were enemies?" Mr. Miller said.

"Well, she wrote me a letter saying how sorry she was so I—"

"You mean…this letter?" Drake said. He pulled out a crumpled piece of paper, and showed me the letter that Grace had written for me.

I stared at the piece of paper, eyes dilated and baffled.

"Where did you get that?"

"You left it at the pool that day." Drake said. "And I figured this would be perfect to use this against you."

"How were you planning to use that against me?" I yelled.

"It's all about trust, my dear. Your trust in Grace led you here." Mr. Miller said. "Did you actually think she would want to be friends with you? Sweetheart—that letter was just a decoy. She wrote that to gain your trust…and you fell for it! Good job, Kimmy!"

I looked at him in utter distress.

"So…she didn't mean any of it? It was all just a lie?"

"Obviously." Drake said. "Who would want to be friends with you?"

I muttered curses under my breath. Curse myself for trusting people too easily.

"Well, we have a sword to catch, my dear." Mr. Miller said. "So we'll—"

"_LET…ME…GO! I NEED TO SEE MY FRIENDS!" _

Our eyes darted to the other side of the room, and I saw one guy clutching another boy tightly, while he struggled to release from his grasp. The boy's brunette hair was shaggy, and covering his face, and his skin was covered in dry blood in bruises. Even in the dim light, I could recognize him instantly.

"Jack!"

His bloodshot eyes met mine, and for the first time, I saw Jack Anderson looking _weak. _Fatigued. Beaten down. Knowing the Jack I knew, if anyone even attempted at grabbing him, he would pound them to the ground in a matter of seconds.

But all Jack did was helplessly struggle to let go, with pain clearly portrayed in his body language.

Drake and Mr. Miller rushed into the scene, seizing Jack even tighter by the arms, causing him to wince in utter pain.

"What did you do to him?" I demanded.

"You got a pretty stubborn boyfriend, there…no matter what you do, you just can't stop the kid. So, we figured a little beating wouldn't hurt…unfortunately, I was wrong." Mr. Miller said. I glared at him in shock and anger.

"You _BEAT _him?"

"You're just lucky we didn't take it step further with that freak." Drake retorted, giving Jack an icy glare.

"Maybe if you keep sassing us, you'll be next." Mr. Miller said.

All my I did was amplify my eyes in fear.

"I…won't…let…you…hurt…her!" Jack struggled, and with great force he heaved an elbow straight into Drake's stomach. As he clutched his stomach in agony, Jack attempted to writher out of the grasp, so he could once again use his karate techniques.

But unfortunately, they were too fast for him.

Mr. Miller seized him even tighter once again by the arms, and punched his stomach hard, twisting his ankle with his, and shoving his head towards the wall, with a large "THUMP!" echoing throughout the room. Eyes wide, jaw dropped, I crawled towards Jack's body as it lay on the ground, with his face scrunched in torment, clutching his stomach in soreness.

"STOP IT!" I screamed. "LEAVE HIM ALONE! If you hurt him, you hurt me!"

"Fine by me! I've been wanting to do this for years!" Drake yelled. He began to charge in my direction, ready to pound his fist in my face.

When Mr. Miller's arm shot in front of Drake.

"Stop. I think they've gotten enough torture. We'll leave them both here." Mr. Miller said. For a second, I could see remorse quickly flickering in his eyes, as he stared at an abused Jack and me, but when looking back at the boys, the expression had changed to 'absolutely-insane' within an instant. With a snarl, Drake reluctantly backed away from Jack and me.

"What about Milton, Jerry, and Eddie? Where are they?" I asked coldly.

"Be thankful you have him…if you weren't in the room, we probably would've gotten rid of him _without _the sword." Mr. Miller remarked icily.

"You know once we're out of here, we're going to call the police…then let's see how 'unstoppable' you guys are." I argued.

"That is _if _you guys make it out of here…_alive._" Drake said, with a malicious smile.

My breaths grew shorter and quicker, and my heart started punching out of my chest even more rapidly than before in fear and apprehension. I could feel the sweat already beading down my temples, and my body trembling at the thought of this being our last few hours.

But I still tried to maintain my infuriated expression to Grace's father and his stupid little "allies".

"Now, while we do love chatting with you while you guys are oh-so vulnerable, we have a sword to retrieve. Let's go boys." Mr. Miller said. And with a merciless wave, they all walked out of the door, slamming it behind with a loud "BANG!", leaving Jack and me alone in a cold, tiny room.

The only source of light….

Gone.

Just like everything else.

* * *

><p>RUDY<p>

_Help…me…god. _

It's as if I attract cold temperature, as my body was shivering like a Chihuahua, even when being wrapped up in layers and layers of blankets. You could see the bags under my bloodshot eyes, even when the majority of my day consisted of sleeping. And no matter how many pills I took, the headaches, terribly sore body, and high fever remained.

Note to self: _never _travel long-distance again.

Of course, there was a side of me that was feeling extremely guilty and of course worried. Me, being the only adult here, trying to take care of five kids as they're across the globe, thousands of miles away from their parents'….when _they've_ ended up being the ones to take care of _me_. What if something happened to them? What if they need help? Should I have gone with them, even with a severe case of the stomach flu?

As their caretaker, yes I should have.

But that would mean I'd be throwing up on them every fifteen minutes…

_At least they have Eric with them. Calm down, Rudy. _

The noise of the TV faintly echoed in my ears. I tried concentrating at what was even on, but the screen was nothing but a distraction as the moving figures rolled through my mind, causing my eyes to ache. Not even bothering to search for the remote to turn off the ruckus, I flipped the covers over my head, and attempted at sleeping again.

When a loud "BANG!" resounded from the door.

I shot my head up, with a number of thoughts racing through my head. Could the kids be back? Did they find the sword? Or is it Bobby checking up on me?

"Come in!" I called weakly. "It's open!"

The door swung open, revealing a man with a barrette on his head, and a suitcase in his hand and a large bag swung over his shoulder, which I'm assuming consists of video recording devices. But what worried me was what he was doing in this hotel room, and giving me a blank stare.

"Eric?" I called. "What…what are you doing here?"

"Hey Rudy. Bobby was at the lobby…he told me that you got sick with the stomach flu, so I just came to check on you." He sat on the bed beside me, and gave me a warm smile. While I do appreciate Eric trying to check on me, there was a side of me that was bursting with worry.

"But…what are you doing _here?" _I asked cautiously. "You're supposed to be with the kids."

"The kids, what are you talking about? My flight got delayed…I just got here." Eric said. "You do realize I was never with you guys, right?"

"WHAT?" I screamed. "I thought you were with them! You record everything god damn it!"

"Well, I didn't seem to record this!" Eric said. "But I did manage to record Jerry's new girlfriend who was in the lobby, and she seemed pretty…worried. Probably because her Jerry wasn't with her but whatever…" He merrily shrugged, as he turned his attention to his bag, bringing out his video camera and polishing the lens.

"Wait…was her dad with her by any chance?" I asked frantically.

"No…she was all alone there. Looks like someone's going to be forever alone." Eric laughed. He brought out his camera. "Oh which reminds me…I need to get some footage of you being sick…it'll definitely add to the drama!"

"Forget that!" I yelled, throwing the comforters out of the bed, and trying to get out for the first time. "We need to go check on the kids now! I think they're in trouble!"

"Rudy, you need to calm down!" Eric said, holding my shoulders, trying to set me back in bed. "I'm sure they're fine! They're smart kids, they can handle themselves!"

"You don't understand…Grace's dad has been enemies with me since high school—"

"Which I'm assuming was a _long _while ago?" Eric questioned. I glared at him.

"This is serious! Since he's part of the Hunt too…I think he did something to them." I grabbed my robe and wrapped it around my shoulders.

"I'm sure that's not true Rudy," Eric said. "You should just go back to bed!"

"No, as their caretaker, I need to go and see if they're alright! Whether I'm sick or not…they're my kids and I'm not going to let anything happen to them." I started walking towards the door, when Eric caught my shoulders and stopped me.

"At least let me come with you." He said.

"But…you're really annoying." I whined.

"_Rudy_,"

"Alright fine." I moaned, and I started heading out once more.

"Wait, Rudy?"

"WHAT NOW?"

He sighed. "Are you sure you want to do this? Look at you…you look like you're about to pass out."

My arms and legs were wobbling and aching terribly, and I could feel my palms and forehead growing sweaty, along with my sinuses once again acting up. But all I did was stare at Eric and give a nod.

"They need me. And I'm not giving up on them."

* * *

><p><span>JACK <span>

_There was no way out. _

_I found myself walking in the middle of a forest, with thick, green foliage dangling everywhere I turned. The aroma of the woods had that moist smell, as if a huge storm had poured on the forest for hours. Yet, the aura of the forest was surprisingly peaceful, with nothing but the sound of my footsteps as it shuffled across the sandy ground, and a few animal chirps scattering around the forest. _

_Yet I wasn't feeling peaceful at all. _

_No matter how long I kept walking, I couldn't seem to find any sort of exit, or even a source of light. It was as if I was trapped. _

_But the feeling of that only lasted in a matter of seconds. _

"_JACK!" _

_That voice. _

_I recognized that voice anywhere. _

_I frantically started battling way through the incredibly thick, abundant leafage, jumping through the logs and bushes. And after a while of running, I find the source of the voice. _

"_K-Kim!" _

_There she was, with her doe-like brown eyes wide in alarm, with tears streaming down her face endlessly, and her blonde hair tangled and hiding her face…_

_Hanging on for dear life. _

_Her hands gripped on the ledge of the cliff, but it didn't seem like she could hold it much longer. Next to Kim were Milton, Jerry, and Eddie also hanging on to the edge, trying not to fall. I glanced at Eddie whose shaky fingertips were barely gripping the rocks. I rushed over to Eddie, and offered my hand. _

"_Eddie, take my hand!" I screamed. _

"_What's the point Jack?" Eddie screamed. "You led us into this trap, and now we're going to literally fall into the belly of the beast. We trusted you but you let us down. So I guess this is it then." _

"_No it's not, stop talking like that!" I screamed. "Just take my hand, god damn it!" _

"_I'm sorry Jack." Eddie said, staring at me with water filled in his eyes. With his last fingertip sliding off the rock, he fell down into the trench, screaming to his death. _

"_NO!" I screamed, as he fell deeper and deeper into the trench. With my stomach in knots, and my breaths becoming sharper by the second, I went for Milton and Jerry who were barely hanging on to the ledge of the cliff. _

"_Who did this to you guys?" I screamed. _

"_You did Jack." Milton said. "If you hadn't brought us here, we wouldn't be in this situation." _

"_It wasn't my fault." I said miserably. "I thought it would be here." _

"_I...can't…hold …on…much…longer." Jerry said weakly. _

"_No, no, no Jerry, just give me your hand!" I screamed. With a terrified glare, Jerry lifted a trembling hand out for me to grab. I reached out my hand, centimeters from entwining my hand in his…_

_When his other hand had slipped. _

_With a loud shriek, Jerry fell down into the trench with heavy rocks toppling down after him. _

"_JERRY!" I hollered. The ground started to rumble and I made my way towards Milton. _

"_Milton, just take my hand before it's too late!" I screamed. _

"_There's no point, Jack! I'm done! With the earthquake, there's no way I'll be able to keep my balance! It's not humanely possible!" _

"_Yes it is! Just please—" _

"_Goodbye Jack." _

_Before I could do anything, Milton's fingertips slid off of the rocks, and he toppled into the deep trench. I stared at the trench with my eyes dilated in shock, and tears filling up in my eyes for the very first time. _

_Three of my friends. _

_Gone. _

_Just like that. _

_And it was all my fault. _

_I sprinted towards the last person that rather than committing suicide was hanging on for dear life. _

_Kim. _

_Her fingertips were barely gripping the rocks, and she looked at me with wide, frantic eyes. _

"_I'm _not_ going to let you fall." I panted. _

"_Jack, no matter what you do, just like everybody else, I'm going to fall too." _

"_But, WHY?" _

"_Once you're in a trap, you can't get out." She said. "That's why no matter what you did, everyone was falling. And I'm about to fall any second." _

"_No! I won't let you!" _

"_Then you shouldn't have led us into the trap! I thought we could trust you! But you're letting us die…you let all of us down. And now we can't find it. We've officially lost…thanks to you." _

"_I didn't mean for all this to happen! I wouldn't even think of hurting you!" _

"_Then why did you?" _

_And with a last rough shake, Kim's dainty little fingers slipped from the rock, and with one last distressed look at me, she toppled into the trench, with her high scream echoing throughout the deep trench. _

"_KIM!" _

_And she was gone. _

_I sat on the cliff, burying my face in my knees, as I wept for the loss of my friends. The loss of trust. Betrayal. _

_Life. _

"_I think you should join your friends as well…it's what you get for leading your friends into danger." _

_And I was shoved into the never-ending pit of shame._

* * *

><p>"<em>AAAAAH!" <em>

I shot up from the ground, panting heavily and shock and apprehension, with sweat beading down my temples, and my heart thumping in my chest so hastily, it could've exploded. Blood pounded in my ears, and my body started to once again ache terribly. I looked around, realizing I was in the same dirty old closet-like room, which caused me to exhale deeply in slight relief.

_Oh, it was just a dream. _

_A horrible, terrifying dream. _

"Jack! Are you okay?"

I turned around, coming face-to-face with someone who I honestly never thought I would see again. There were bruises scattered across her pale skin, and her tangled honey-blonde hair was all over the place, hiding her dilated brown eyes that were filled with fear…and water. I saw her wince in pain as she struggled to release from the tight ropes that were strapped onto her arms and legs.

"Kim! How did you get here? Are you okay? What happened? When—"

"I'd love to answer all your questions, but do you mind untying me first?" She asked, darting her eyes towards the rope. Quickly, I reached for the ropes that were tied around her hands and legs, and untied the taught knots. Once I got them out, I noticed dried blood circulating at the place where the ropes originally were. Kim took her hands, and winced in pain at the horrible sting. Once her legs were untied as well, we suddenly locked eyes.

And immediately threw our arms around each other into a warm, tight embrace.

"I'm so glad you're okay." She said, her voice slightly faltering. She released and gave me a wary smile. "You were passed out for a while."

"Not really…my forehead and stomach still hurts really bad." I groaned.

"How did you get here anyway?"

"Well, let's just say they weren't really careful with me at first, which was odd." I said. "Fortunately, the ropes that were on my arms and legs weren't tied well enough, and the door wasn't locked, so I managed to break free and escape, and I went searching for you guys…but then I got caught, and they beat me up, and left me here."

"Wait…so you came to look for us?" She said, her eyes slightly lighting up. "Even when you knew you had a chance of…pretty much getting beaten up?"

"Well yeah…I mean that's what friends are for, right?" I smiled. She smiled back.

"Wow…that's really… sweet…thank you." She grinned. I smiled and nodded.

"Funny how both times we were 'kidnapped' I was the one who passed out." I said with a smile.

"Uh, that's because you're weak and I'm the stronger one." Kim said, smiling a bit. I laughed.

"Well are you okay? Your wrists are bruised." I said, taking her wrists in mine. She groaned a bit.

"I'm okay." She grunted. "Just…really tired. It hurts when I move. But enough about me—the question is are _you?_ You woke up screaming…must have been some nightmare."

"It wasn't a dream." I said sadly. "It was…real."

"Come on Jack, I know he banged you pretty hard, but it's not a real, hon."

I chuckled a bit. "Well, when I say real I mean that what I did in real life, was exactly what I did in the dream."

"And what was that?"

"Letting you guys down."

"What are you talking about?" Kim asked me, with more concern filling in her eyes.

"I'm saying that…this is all my fault." I said. "I lured you guys into this trap, and thanks to my foolishness, now we're never going to get that sword and but instead, have a very good chance of dying…it's all because of me."

I kicked the ropes to the side in frustration, holding my forehead in my heads in utter helplessness and anger. Kim took my hands in hers and looked at me with those effervescent brown eyes.

"Jack…it's not your fault." She said. "You did what you could…don't go so hard on yourself…you've hurt already."

"If I hadn't found that stupid abandoned warehouse, we wouldn't be kidnapped! I don't even know where Milton, Jerry and Eddie are, and because of me you're all bruised!"

"It's not because of you!" She yelled. "You were just trying to help!"

"You call this helping? Just admit Kim…I let you guys down."

"No you didn't!" She countered. "You're the most loyal guy I know…and even though you were terribly hurt…you still came for me."

"Because I care."

"Exactly. You're no betrayer…and trust me I know betrayal." She slightly frowned. "You never gave up on us before, Jack. Don't start now."

"I'm pretty sure Milton, Jerry and Eddie hate my guts right now."

"Trust me, they don't. After all you did just to keep us together…we could never hate you, Jack." She said, patting my shoulder comfortingly. "_I_ could never hate you."

"Thanks, Kim"

"Besides…if it's anyone you should hate right now, it's me."

"Why?"

"You're not the only reason why they chose to kidnap us. Remember that letter Grace wrote to me when we were in New York?"

"Yeah?"

Kim sighed. "It was fake…she just wrote that, so I could be friends with her again, and have trust in her…and since I trusted her, that brought us here. So, in other words, she never wanted to be friends with me. All she wanted was the prize." Tears filled her eyes, and she looked down, no longer making eye contact with me.

"I'm sorry, Kim." I said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"And to make it worse, the idiot who kidnapped us wasn't just Drake…it was Grace's father too."

I stared at her shocked. "That's _Grace's_ dad?"

"Apparently, yes." Kim sighed, and tears rolled down her cheeks. "I'm just so stupid. First Travis, then Grace's father who I've known for so long, and now _Grace? _I choose to trust people and then they let me down…and I'm so stupid, that I _actually _fell for it."

"You're not stupid, Kim."

"You're really funny."

"Seriously, you're not." I gripped her shoulders, beckoning her to look at me. Reluctantly, she looked up, and I stared into her eyes.

"Forget them. If they don't want to spend time with someone as amazing as you, then it's their loss." I said. She slightly smiled.

"Thanks. But what if I fall into someone's trap again? What if I trust someone…and just like everyone…they just let me down again?"

"Well…you can trust me. Because I would never do that to you." I said. Once again, we got caught into each other's eyes, and I was trapped in her wide, doe-like brown eyes.

And she did something that I thought would never happen.

She kissed me.

And I kissed her back.

My first thought:

_FINALLY. _

As soon as we broke apart, she gave me a small smile, and chuckled.

"Out of all the places we attempted to kiss, we chose to do kiss _here?" _She laughed, her cheeks coloring slightly.

"Let's face it…your undying love for me this entire time couldn't wait." I teased. She rolled her eyes.

"Don't make me regret it." She teased. Helplessly, she dropped her head on my shoulder. While my shoulder slightly ached, I didn't care.

It was good pain.

"Jack?"

"Hmm?"

"Are we going to get out of here?"

She stared at the locked door and looked at me, awaiting for my response, in hopes that it was positive.

But I couldn't give her a hopeful answer.

All I did was give her my most honest answer.

"I don't know."

* * *

><p><strong>AN- YES! KICK FINALLY KISSED! Yeah, I know that this wasn't exactly how you wanted their highly anticipated kiss to happen, but I thought it would be perfect since they're all alone and this could be their last time together…anyway hope you liked the chapter! I definitely revealed a lot of secrets with Drake, and Mr. Miller and Grace…since there were some good guesses, I made them both the culprit!**

**Yeah, this was a pretty shocking chapter. Will Rudy come to the rescue? Will Jack and Kim live happily ever after? Is Grace as bad as she seems?Will the Wasabi Warriors get out? **

**WILL THEY FIND THE SWORD? **

**These last few MAJOR questions will be answered in these last few chapters! And sadly, since I couldn't squeeze my favorite trio in this chapter, they will be featured more in the next chapter! Leave your thoughts on the revealed secrets by clicking that cool-looking blue button below! Thanks for reading and reviewing guys! Your support means a lot to me! **

**Taylor **


	17. The Last Battle

**A/N- Hey! Taylor here with chapter 17 of The Hunt! So, this chapter did take me a while to write and I am sorry about it. Honestly, it's not my best work but I hope you still enjoy it! I'll give you a warning right now: you're going to get the worst cliffhanger in the history of cliffhangers. So be prepared. **

**Enjoy the chapter! **

* * *

><p><span>MILTON <span>

_I'm going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to freaking die—_

"Earth to Milton!"

I stopped rocking back and forth in apprehension, and stared at Eddie and Jerry with dilated, distraught eyes. My shaggy red hair was brushing over my eyes, and my wrists throbbed from the ropes that were knotted tightly around my pale, and not to mention sensitive skin. Blood pounded in my ears, and my heart was ready to burst out of my chest in this tight, congested little room. My entire body was trembling in complete fear…

I've never been more scared my entire life.

I thought it was somewhat kind of them to keep Eddie, Jerry and I in the same room—I honestly thought I'd be going completely mental all by myself—but that fact that I haven't seen Jack and Kim for hours started to worry me. Are they okay? Did they do anything to them? What about Rudy? What are we going to do?

"What?" I barked at Eddie, trying to get out of my train of thought.

"I know you're freaking out and all, but we can't just sit here and do nothing! We need to take action, and get the hell out of here!" Eddie scolded.

"In case you haven't noticed smart one, we are TIED UP!" I screamed in his face. "Doing nothing is our only option!"

"She was right."

I cast a glance at where the voice was coming from, noticing that it was Jerry who seemed to be in the middle of a deep train of thought. He rested his head against the cold, cemented wall, with a guilty look sealing his face. I scooted over to Jerry and tapped him with my foot, trying to comfort him, even though I didn't understand what was bothering him. Seeing his guilty, slightly terrified look made me worry on the inside.

Is that reallyhow _I_ look like right now?

"Jerry? Are you okay?"

Jerry faced me with those big, brown, terrified eyes and furrowed his brow in anxiousness.

"He's probably just thinking about _Grace." _ Eddie retorted, giving Jerry a cold glare. Jerry rolled his eyes, and scoffed at Eddie. These two have been giving eachother detestable glares with disgust flowing through their faces, which also made me worry. What happened to the goofballs that I knew, and at times hated?

"I am actually. You have a problem with that?" Jerry challenged.

"Guys, this is _really _not the time to fight!" I scolded at the two. I faced Jerry.

"What was Grace right about?" I asked calmly. Jerry let out a deep, quivering sigh and faced me.

"She warned me before we came here." Jerry croaked, his voice slightly breaking. "She told me not to come here, but she wouldn't tell me the reason why. I thought that she was lying just so she could have that clue to herself…but this whole time, she was telling the truth."

"So Grace kind of told you and you didn't believe her? And you didn't bother to tell us about your encounter with her?" I said.

"I'm sorry! I thought she was just messing with me!" Jerry argued. I rolled my eyes.

"Well, how did she even know we would end up getting up kidnapped, anyway?" Eddie asked, still sounding bewildered and furious at the same time. "I mean, wasn't it Drake who did this…and that old dude?"

"Yeah…that old dude is Grace's _father._" Jerry said. Eddie and I stared at Jerry in utter disbelief.

"_What?" _

"Yeah…remember he's enemies with Rudy? We saw him at the First Meeting? I don't know what this dude is planning…but I got a bad feeling about this, man."

"You should've believed Grace. Your _girlfriend."_ Eddie remarked icily. "If you trusted her like a good boyfriend should, we wouldn't be in this mess in the first place!"

"She's not even my girlfriend, you idiot!" Jerry snapped. "She's just a friend. You know, you're no different either! You can't even trust that your friend doesn't respect the bro code!"

"If you respected the bro code, you wouldn't be flirting with her constantly, and trying to make me jealous!"

"I wasn't flirting with her! And I wasn't trying to make you jealous back at the hotel! I didn't even know it was Grace who called me at first! I swear, man!" Jerry snapped. "It was all just a big misunderstanding."

Eddie looked up. "So…you weren't trying to make me jealous?"

"Dude, I would never do that to you. You're my friend, bro…that's just messed up." Jerry said. "But, I'm sorry if I made you feel bad or anything…you can have Grace. I don't dig her anyway."

"No, man I'm sorry." Eddie said, with remorse filling his eyes. "I should've believed you when you said there wasn't anything going on. But I know you're always going to be a good friend to me...so I'll always be a good friend to you."

"So, we cool?"

"Yeah man." Eddie smiled. "Truth is there's nothing going on between her and me either. So you can have her."

"Nah man, you can take her."

"No, no I insist, she's all yours."

"Seriously yo, just ask her out again!"

"No, I don't want—"

"GUYS!" I screamed. "Seriously?"

Jerry and Eddie exchanged apologetic looks.

"Sorry." Jerry said sheepishly.

"Let's not have a girl come between us ever again." Eddie said, smiling. With a pleased smirk, Jerry collided arms with Eddie, as their hands were still tied, preventing them from hugging or even giving eachother a high five.

"While this scene is just so beautiful," I said, interrupting their smiles and laughter. "I think Eddie is right. We need to get out of here fast."

"What's the point, yo?" Jerry said. "I'm done, man. I can't take this anymore. This is just going way out of proportion. We signed up for a contest—_not _ to have our lives at stake. Why is Bobby such a…such a…_snot-donkey?_"

"Whoa!" Eddie said. "Language!"

"We didn't sign up just for _any _contest." I said. "We signed up for _The Hunt. _Bobby did kind of warn us in the beginning—and it's just about to get worse."

"How could it get any worse than this?" Eddie asked, facing me with frantic, amplified eyes.

"Well, that sword isn't just a piece of jewelry." I said. "It's an ancient sword…and Julie was researching about it, and if Drake or Grace's dad find it before we do—"

"_THUMP, THUMP, THUMP!" _

Three pairs of frantic eyes darted towards the door and we all exchanged frightened looks.

"Who…who's there?" I asked my voice unreasonably high.

"Milton? Is that you?"

My eyes widened at the response. That voice.

I recognized that voice anywhere.

And so did everyone else.

"YES! IT'S US! OPEN THE DOOR!"

There was a brief silence for two seconds, and they all stared at the door impatiently. Suddenly, with a creek, the door busted open, revealing two men they thought they'd never see again…One with a slightly weak expression…and one with a camera clutched in his hand.

"RUDY!" I cried in delight. "ERIC! I have never been more delighted—"

"_Shut up!" _Both the men hissed. They rushed towards us, and started untying our ropes.

"You need to be extremely quiet. We're going to get you out of here, and then we're going to get Jack and Kim out. We have to get out of the place quietly and quickly." Rudy said.

"How did you manage to escape from all of them?" Jerry asked.

"How did you find us?" I asked.

"With the help of someone." Eric said.

"Who?"

"That's not important!" Rudy snapped at Jerry. He pouted his lip, as they untied the ropes from their hands their hands and legs. "What's important is we trying to escape from them without being caught…because they have people posted all over this place. We're just lucky we managed to escape from them."

"Where are we though?" Eddie asked.

Rudy and Eric exchanged agonized looks as they stared at us three boys who stood up, finally free from their ropes. We stared at Rudy and Eric willingly, waiting for their answer.

"I don't know how they did it," Rudy said, with a sigh. "But we're at the Great Wall of China right now."

* * *

><p><span>KIM<span>

"_Let…us…out!" _

I know this seems incredibly stupid.

But what choice do I have?

I repeatedly banged on the door, chanting_ "Let us out!" _like a madwoman,constantly for the past twenty minutes, in hopes that it would aggravate them to the point where they _will _let us out…or in the hopes that the door would open with the persistent, hardcore banging.

But neither of those wishes was granted.

…Okay, I know, I'm going completely crazy.

But stay with me?

The ceaseless banging came to the point where my hands started aching, and my throat started to grow sore. But that didn't stop me from struggling to get out of this place. It almost like the walls were squeezing in on me, like I was never going to be able to escape from this prison—

"_KIM!" _

I felt a pair of hands grip my arms comfortingly, beckoning me to calm down. I turn around seeing Jack, whose eyes were dilated in alarm, staring at me like I was some mutant alien. Yet, I could still see the concern flooded in his eyes, as he stared at me, gripping my arms more securely.

"What?" I barked.

"I know I'm supposed to support whatever you do and all, but seriously—this _isn't _going to work!" Jack said, softening the tight grip on my arms.

"Then what can we do?" I screamed. "We tried picking the lock but it didn't work! Screaming isn't working, and breaking the door open doesn't seem to be working either! WE HAVE TO GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"

"I know, just calm down, okay?" Jack said soothingly, rubbing my arms comfortingly. "You're just going to hurt yourself even more. You're already banged up…here, sit down."

He gripped my hand and settled me on the ground, taking off his sweater, and wrapping it around my cold, bare shoulders. He gave me a small smile and put his arm around me in comfort. While most girls would find that incredible sweet and romantic, and I will admit I did, all I did was glare at him.

"I'm not a baby, you know." I said, slightly smirking.

"Well, you're certainly acting like one." Jack teased. I shoved him playfully, rolling my eyes.

"Shut up," I said, with a slight smirk. He chuckled.

"Is that any way to talk to your _boyfriend_?" He said teasingly.

"Boyfriend or not, you're still _Jack."_ I smirked, handing him back his jacket. Yet, he wrapped the jacket around me again with a soft chortle, and rested his arm on my shoulder, his face close as he crouched next to me.

"Keep it." He said softly. "It's pretty cold in here."

"How are you so calm about this?" I asked, putting my arms into the sleeves. "Don't you want to get that sword too?"

"Kim, let's face it." Jack said, his voice growing dead serious. "We tried our best. We traveled across the world. We fought in abandoned warehouses, in caves, and we even fought on the Eiffel Tower. But look at where we are now—oh wait we don't even know where we are! This is just out of our hands…if they want to get some sword let them. And guess what?"

I looked at him.

"Today is the last day."

"Wait…what do you mean?"

"We had 21 days to find the sword. Today is the last day to have any chance to look for that sword. After sundown…we're done. We already were done."

I stared at him in shock. It's been 21 days already? Is that even possible?

"And that's exactly why we need to get out of here!" I said, standing up once again. He tugged on my arm, and yanked me down.

"Kim, just give it up!" Jack said. "You're just going to get hurt again…I already hurt you enough. And, come on, it's not even that big of a deal anyway…I think we can live without that money."

"It's not just about the money!" I said. "You were right about that legend…it _is _true."

There was a short pause. Followed by a shocked expression, Jack asked "It is?"

"Yes. Drake and Mr. Miller don't want it so they can win some prize. They want it so they can get their revenge on everybody. They want to get even richer with that sword. They were telling me a little about their stupid dangerous scheme."

"But look at us! We can't do anything about it now!" Jack said, his voice growing harsh. "I can't do this anymore. This is just getting everyone hurt. I can't even move without wincing in pain."

All I did was look at him.

For a long time.

And I finally said something.

"What happened to the Jack who never gives up on anything…or anybody?"

Jack stared at me, and opened his mouth as if he was about to say something.

When he was suddenly interrupted.

"_THUMP, THUMP, THUMP!" _

Jack and I suddenly stood up, and stared at the door. I could hear faint murmuring coming from the other side of the door, which only made my heartbeat race at the speed of light. I started inching towards the door when Jack took my hand and stopped me.

"Don't go! What if it's a trick or something?"

"JACK! KIM! ARE YOU IN THERE?" We heard a strangely familiar British accent.

"Eric!" I screamed, instantly recognizing his voice. Jack and I ran towards the door in utter relief.

"Okay, I'll take that as a yes." Eric said. "Now stand back! I'm going to break open this door!"

"We tried doing that, there's no way—"

But Eric didn't want to listen to Jack's advice.

Instead with an incredibly loud "BANG!" the door fell to the ground, revealing a group of boys I never thought I'd see again.

With a shriek of happiness, we both rushed towards the boys, with a sense of relief flooding through me, and my lungs finally regulating in breathing, with a large grin spread across my face. We were in a dark hallway, with a few rusty windows letting only a little of the sunlight to come through, but that was enough for us to see eachother, and with large grins, embracing eachother like there was no tomorrow. Jack was hugging Jerry, Jerry was hugging me, I was hugging Milton, Milton was hugging Eddie—

Wait, what?

Never mind, the point was we finally escaped that hellhole.

I stared at Rudy who gave Jack and me a weak stare.

"Rudy!" Jack yelled. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey, I wasn't going to let you guys rot in here! No matter how sick I am, you guys come first." Rudy smiled feebly. We both smiled at him, and patted his back in appreciation.

"Are you sure you're feeling okay?" I asked him gently. He nodded, and gave me a reassuring smile.

"A little better than before…Eric gave me the medication before I came here, but I think all I needed was some fresh air. I mean, I don't feel like _dying, _so I guess I'm fine now." Rudy laughed uneasily. I chuckled.

"Well, I'm glad you're here. We're sorry we let you down. We just wanted to give you some time to rest, but instead we worried you even more…and now, we're probably not going to get that sword anymore." My eyes flickered on Jack for a second, quite sadly.

"I don't care anymore." Rudy said. "I'm just glad you guys are all safe. But don't hug me…I might still have the flu." We all laughed, and I patted Rudy in gratitude.

"So, can someone tell me where they took us?" Jack asked. "Because this doesn't look like the factory."

"Dude, we're at the Great Wall of China!" Eddie yelled. "Again! It looks like the clue was hidden here the entire time."

"Wait, we're seriously at the Great Wall of China?" Jack asked, slightly in fear. It seemed like

"Okay, enough of the chit-chat. We need to go now." Eric said, turning the video camera off. He burst the exit door open, revealing several rays of light shining through the dark chamber. We all started heading out of the chamber, finally being able to see China's nature, with the colors of the sky slowly starting to turn pink, and the sun slowly sinking into the trees. And they were right.

We were standing on the Great Wall of China.

It resembled the exact same location where Jack and Kai fought, with the antique breakable furniture scattered, and the place completely empty for a fight. I cast a glance towards Jack who seemed to be a little frightened when seeing this place, considering he was about to fall hundreds of feet to his death in this place.

"Wow—this is my place, yo!" Jerry chanted. "It's so awesome being here again!"

"Yeah, I know it's pretty awesome." Rudy said, shoving Jerry towards the stairs. "But really need to go before—"

"Before we smash your heads into a million pieces?"

We all turned our heads around, coming face-to-face with a number of boys, folding their arms across their chest and staring at us menacingly. In the front of the crowd of boys stood Drake with his spiky blonde hair with his ominous blue eyes and intimidating frown. Next to him stood a slightly older man, with wrinkles creased on his skin, and an evil-like grin. But it wasn't their foreboding, killer faces that terrified me.

It was what was in their hands. In Mr. Miller's hand, was the hands of a girl.

The girl had pin-straight chocolate brown hair and a frantic look on her face. She locked her remorse eyes with me, mouthing the words "I'm sorry" to all of us, not taking her eyes off of me. All I did was stare at her in utter shock, seeing her hands being crushed by her own father's.

"Grace!" Jerry yelled, trying to get to her. They both looked like they wanted to talk about a million things, but Grace's father pushed her back, away. Jerry tried rushing over to her, but I gripped his hand and stopped him.

"There's no point." I whispered at him apologetically. He took a step back in devastation, still not even taking her eyes off of her.

Yet it was the thing that was in Drake's hand that scared me the most.

In his hand was a shiny piece of metal, with the tip of it sharp enough to kill someone with a single touch. On the narrow polished metal was Chinese words inscribed on it. The handle bar was glossed in golden and red colors with circular golden jewels decorated the handle. He grinned once we laid our eyes on the sword. But it wasn't just any sword that made the entire gang jaws drop.

It was the sword they've been searching for the past three weeks.

The Miao Dao sword.

"We leave for two minutes to search for this beauty, and you try to escape?" Drake gave a sneer. "Well, someone didn't understand the consequences, now did they?"

"There are no consequences." Jerry retorted. "Once we tell Bobby that you kidnapped us, you'll be disqualified."

"That is _if _you make it out of here." Mr. Miller said. "Now my prodigy and I have a ceremony to complete. In the meantime, I think our fellow friends can entertain you."

"Boys." Drake called. "Get them."

And the huddle of boys charged towards us.

Chaos ensued, and everyone had someone they had to battle. I came face-to-face with three groupies, and with a sneer, they charged in my direction, throwing a kick near my face. I ducked, and rotated on the ground, kicking their feet, eliminating them one by one. They toppled to the ground, clutching their feet in pain. I spun around, noticing a couple more guys rushing towards me. I kicked one guy in the stomach, and took out the rest of the guys with a flying dragon kick.

The next thing I knew I heard a scream, and I turned, seeing Rudy struggling to beat the tall boy. He pushed Rudy to the ground, and he stared at him with frantic eyes.

"Rudy!" I screamed. I rushed over, jumped in the air, and threw my leg out, colliding my feet with the boys head, sending him to the ground. Rudy stood up with jaws dropped, clutching his chest in exasperation, barely managing to whisper the words "thank you" to me. I clutched his hand so he wouldn't topple down to the ground, because it looked like his flu was acting up again. I looked around frantically, still seeing a number of boys mercilessly trying to beat Milton, Jerry and Eddie up. But with their sudden improvements, it seemed like they were handling things on their own. Yet, there was only one guy that I couldn't find, even the crowd of the boys were dying down.

Jack.

And I knew exactly where he was.

I rushed out of the scene, bring Rudy along, and leaving the three boys to finish off the remaining groupies.

Because I had a sword to save.

More importantly, a friend.

* * *

><p><span>JACK<span>

What the _hell_ are these idiots doing?

I peered into the dim room, seeing Drake and Mr. Miller facing the wall, with lit-up candles on in front of an idol, possibly representing a Chinese god. I saw Grace sitting next to her dad, with her head down, fiddling with her fingers in depression. Mr. Miller was chanting something that I couldn't quite comprehend, and I saw the sword resting on a podium. Maybe if Kim had told me more about the plan they were discussing with her, I would've at least had an idea of what these freaks were doing.

"What are you doing, Dad?" I heard Grace's soft voice. I could sense her voice filled with regret and depression. He stopped his chanting and faced her.

"I can't talk right now, sweetie. Daddy's making a healing tonic only created China's finest herbs. But I need to chant this prayer according to Chinese customs so it can work on the dead and injured."

"Why are you making it, though?" Grace asked. "You're fine."

"Yes, but in case those brats hurt us in any way, help will be on the way, and this will make us stronger than ever."

"Yeah, after we make this, we use it as a sacrifice, we can perform the ceremony, and bring the life back into this sword. And once we drink this potion, we'll be immortal." Drake said giddily.

_He said _what _now?_

"Dad…this is just going way too far!" Grace exclaimed. "You need to stop this! You're just hurting innocent people now!"

"Well think about all the people that hurt us!" Mr. Miller screamed in Grace's face. "We just got lucky that we had the opportunity to move to Florida. Your mother left us, our relatives no longer want to communicate with us…nobody wants to talk with us! This…this will get back at those _innocent_ people."

"And I can finally take my revenge on Kim." Drake said evilly. "For ruining everything. This sword will definitely come in handy."

Wait, _what?_

"Dad!" Grace screamed. "You can't just—"

"Sweetie, we'll talk about this later. Let Daddy do his work." And he resumed working on the medicine, whispering something with Drake.

I wiped the sweat that was beading down my forehead and let out a deep, quiet sigh. No way was I going to let him hurt Kim in any way. I already let her down, and basically jeopardized her life by getting her kidnapped. Hell, I let everybody down. They're depending on me to get that sword. The conversation Kim had with me earlier in the cell blurred into my head.

"_What happened to the Jack who never gave up on anything…or anybody?" _

I stared at the ceremony being taken place, and I let out a deep sigh

Kim's something I could never give up on.

So, with a deep, trembling breath, I inched into the hazy room, and confidently stood in front of them.

"You're not going anywhere near her."

Their heads spun around, and I saw Mr. Miller and Drake's eyes fall on me in complete shock. Grace locked eyes with me, and there was fear enveloped in her eyes, with her eyes wide and frantic, mouthing the words "leave" repeatedly. They immediately stood and faced me with killer eyes, which caused a lump to form in my throat. Of course, I'm not _scared _of these fools. Jack Anderson never gets scared.

I just happen to feel a little apprehensive.

"Well, we thought you wouldn't be able to handle all our groupies." Drake said, standing up, and facing me, inching closer towards me with a threatening look on his face.

"What can I say?" I said confidently. "I'm Jack. I can handle anything."

Drake chuckled ominously. "Well let's see if the great 'Jack' can handle my punches and kicks." And with a sneer, he shot out his hand, and aimed at my face.

When my hand caught his clenched his fist.

"You probably shouldn't have done that." And with a smirk, I held his fist and flipped him over, kicking him in the stomach. He took a step back, clutching his stomach in pain. Brushing it off, he gave a cruel scowl and charged in my direction, fighting back stronger than ever. He threw his leg, colliding it onto my ribs, and with the stinging pain, I took my fist, and aimed it for his jaw, when he caught it and flipped me to the hard ground. With the pain increasing, I stood up, jumped in the air, and kicked his chest with both of my legs, displaying a flying dragon kick. He fell into the wall, his head colliding with another a chair, and he slid to the ground, wincing in pain. I looked around the room, seeing Mr. Miller and Grace nowhere in sight. I heard a pair of footsteps echoing, and I spun around seeing Kim's frantic eyes fall on me.

"Jack!" Kim yelled standing by the entrance with Rudy weakly standing behind her. She ran towards me, and threw her arms around me, with a worried look enveloping her face. I pulled away, and rubbed her arm consolingly.

"I'm fine, don't worry." I said soothingly, brushing strands of hair away from her face.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, looking around. "You need to get out of here now! I have a bad feeling about this place."

"Don't worry, I knocked out Drake for a while, but we need to get that sword before—"

Kim's eyes suddenly grew extremely wide and agitated, and she screamed something.

"JACK, WATCH OUT!"

_SLASH!_

A sudden sense of pain throbbed grotesquely on my back, and I winced and moaned in agony. My entire body rapidly grew feeble, and soon enough they began to felt like jelly. Black spots started to appear in my vision, and my balance grew unsteady. The dizziness massively increased, and I felt my back, feeling liquid running through my skin. I managed to catch a glimpse of the liquid that was covering my hand.

Blood.

And that's when I collapsed to the ground, hearing nothing but faint whispers as my vision was greeted to nothing but darkness.

"_JACK!" _

* * *

><p><strong>AN- GASP. THE WORST CLIFFHANGER IN THE HISTORY OF CLIFFHANGERS. I'm sure you all are freaking your minds out right now, and I really do apologize, but I think this will be a "good" place to leave off, since I'll be leaving for vacation. I'll most probably have internet connection, but if I don't, I won't be seeing you all for another three weeks. So sorry, but I really can't help it. Anyway, onto the chapter. So Jerry and Eddie made up! Yay! But is Grace's relationship with the Wasabi Warriors tarnished forever? And Bobby seems AWOL here, when he's the one in charge of this. What do you guys think happened? Will he come to the rescue in the end? But the BIGGEST question of all: **

**IS JACK DEAD? **

**I know, I'm such an evil person. I'd love to hear your thoughts through a review! Speaking of reviews: OH MY GOODNESS, WE ARE ALMOST UP TO 300 REVIEWS. That's the most reviews I've ever gotten, and I just want to say to all of you: THANK YOU! You guys have no idea how happy I feel with all the positive feedback from this. I googled "Kickin' It Fanfictions" and 'The Hunt' is one of the top hits that come up. And you have no idea how happy that made me. So thank you guys for continuing to read this! This story is almost ever, but I'll never forget all your amazing support for this story! Thank you guys so much! Love you guys! **

**On a random note, do you guys mind reviewing for Once Upon a Dream, my AU fanfic? I barely got any reviews for the second chapter, and it kind of made me sad. So R&R please? **

**Review! Thanks for reading! Love to hear your thoughts on this chapter!**

**~Taylor :)**


	18. All Is Well?

**A/N-Here I am on the roof again, updating for you all. :P**

**So, I'm sorry this took so long to update—since this is one of the biggest chapters of the entire fic, I kept re-writing, and editing and polishing it as much as I can, and let me tell you my brain is fried! There's a longer and IMPORTANT A/N at the bottom, which I'd appreciate if you all read it. I hope you enjoy this chapter, where all your questions will be answered! I hope I didn't forget anything…**

**ENJOY! **

JERRY

We were winning.

Weaker and weaker the opponents became, as Milton, Eddie and I bundled up our strength to take them all down one way or another. One by one, the guys eventually grew tired of beating us up, and crashed towards the ground, but there were some who remained strong The lingering boys were obviously the most robust, as one of them aimed a punch towards my head. Blocking it, I performed a roundhouse kick, and correctly aimed at the guy's legs, as they snapped and he fell to the ground. Milton and Eddie were struggling to defeat the leftovers, grabbing the shards of the broken furniture for self-defense, but they seemed to be on the verge of giving up. Stepping in, I grabbed their collars, bringing them to the ground, as they had aimed their fists for Milton and Eddie's skull. The three of us came together, jumped in the air, and kicked the guys in the head, making them all to topple towards the ground.

Sighing in relief, we all came together for a group hug, satisfied that we've finally taken them down. We saw Eric recording on the side, and once he saw our "battle" concluded, he shut the camera off with a pleased smirk on his face.

"Bravo!" Eric cried cheerfully. "Simply marvelous!"

"Guys, I can't believe we actually took these idiots down by ourselves." Eddie exclaimed.

"Well, with our two years in training, it is rational for there to be progress in our karate skills." Milton said, matter-of-factly. "But I can't believe it either!"

I looked around the area in slight confusion, searching for Kim, Jack and Rudy, but they seemed to be nowhere in sight. In fact, I don't think I saw them while we were fighting these guys. I casted a glance towards Milton and Eddie, who were conversing with Eric on how their martial arts skills drastically improved.

"Hey guys!" I called. The three pairs of excited eyes fixed on me, baffled at my slightly anxious face.

"Where are Jack, Kim and Rudy?" I blurted. They all looked around, their expression slowly matching mine, as they searched the area, checking some of the rooms, even attempting at looking out into the open of the Great Wall.

No sign.

"Where did they go?" Milton asked. "I hope Jack didn't fall off the wall. Because if he did—he would be instantly dead."

Something told me that he wasn't doing so great right now, even if he didn't fall off the wall.

"Hey! I got an idea!" Eric said, flipping his camera open. Our eyes dilated in frustration, as we glared at him.

"NO, WE ARE NOT RECORDING THIS!"

The British boy shook his head in disbelief at our simultaneous answer. "I was thinking I could check the footage from when you were fighting them…maybe I can catch where they went!"

And with that, we crowded around Eric's camera, for once willing to see one of his recordings. The cameraman fast-forwarded throughout the scene, and here and there I couldn't help but stare at myself. Man, I looked sexy.

_Focus, Jerry. _

"There!"

Eric paused on one still, where we all saw Kim clutching Rudy's hand, walking towards one corner. I tore my eyes away from the camera, staring at the actual corner that Kim disappeared with Rudy in with those worried looks. The hallway they seemed to have vanished in was at the other side of the extent, which was darker than the evening sky we were all currently standing in. We exchanged nervous glances with eachother, wondering why they went there. Was Jack there too? Why would they want to go there? Is Grace there, maybe?

Are they all okay?

"What are they doing going over there?" Eddie asked in confusion.

"Something must be really wrong." Milton said apprehensively.

"They're probably over there. I'll go look." I said, with the mindset of searching them as well as Grace. With slight courage, I started walking towards…_the corner. _

When Eric gripped my hand, looking at me dangerously in the eye.

"Don't even go near that corner." Eric said fiercely in his English accent. "I don't want anything happening to you guys too."

"Well, someone has to go!" Eddie stepped in. "What if they're in danger?"

"And if you become in danger? What then?" Eric questioned. Honestly, this was the first time I've seen him so…serious. "I suggest we all stay here and wait for their arrival…frankly, I'm too scared to go there, myself. I hope Rudy's okay…his medicine should be wearing off, which means he's back to being a bedhead."

"Well, we can't just sit here!" I yelled. "We need to do something."

"No, what need to do is call for help." Milton said. "And we have to go. Together, at least."

"But who do we call?" Eddie asked.

An idea immediately lit up in my head like a light bulb. I pulled my cellphone out of my pocket, and handed it over to Eric. At first, he had a bewildered look on his face, but I could see that soon enough, he was starting to understand where I was getting at.

Everyone seemed to understand.

I may be a little obnoxious at times.

But I am one smart Latino.

"You want to save us all?" I questioned Eric. "Call Bobby."

KIM

He collapsed to the ground, with blood flowing down his back.

The red liquid dripped down of the Miao Dao sword that was clutched in Miller's hand. Jack's entire shirt was drenched in red, a long tear of fabric cutting through the back of his shirt. His entire body had suddenly gone ridiculously pale, and his eyes were closed shut, causing my heart to nearly stop beating. Shrieking his name, Rudy and I rushed over to Jack's body, shaking him vigorously, in the hopes that he would wake up, and everything would go back to normal. I could hear Jack struggling to breathe, however the respiring started to slowly die down, as his head rested further into the ground, like he was going into a long, peaceful sleep. I continued screeching his name at the top of my lungs, and he seemed to be hearing it, as he tried to force his eyelids open. But his strength deprivation dominated as his body refrained from moving. I tried pinching myself to wake up from this horrible nightmare, as tears streamed down my cheeks, just praying that this wasn't for real.

But this was no dream.

It took me a while to register the bone-crushing, deplorable reality.

Jack Anderson was going to die.

He can't die…it was almost impossible for those words to come together in my head, let alone come out of my mouth. A part of me was trying to face the reality, but another part of me refused to believe that he was going to depart his life.

_He's not going to die. Jack is not going to die. _

"Jack," I whimpered, staring at the wound. "Don't die."

With weak, extremely worried eyes, Rudy took Jack's wrist, feeling his pulse.

"He's still breathing." Rudy said. "But I don't think it's going to last long."

Tears streamed out of my eyes like a waterfall, and I held Jack's face in my hands, shaking it vigorously to try and wake him up, but all I saw was him lying in a small pool of blood.

The sight of that made my stomach churn.

"Please wake up!" I screamed again. "Jack!"

Nothing.

I could still feel the warmth of his embrace, that reassuring smile that he always had, and those kind chocolate-brown pools that had me mesmerized. Suddenly, memories of him flooded into my mind, from the moment he persuaded me to join the Hunt, to the moment where he kissed me, and it felt like fireworks were bursting everywhere, even though it was inside a dark little room.

_Please don't stop the memories there, Jack. _

Hearing the noise of cackling, I cast a glance towards Drake, who stood up with a sly smile, who walked over to Jack like nothing had happened to him. The remarkable recovery surprised me and Rudy, as he high-fived Miller and stared at Jack in satisfaction.

"How…can…you…"I stared at Mr. Miller with fuming eyes, as tears slid down my cheek. I wanted to say something. The sensation of an outburst started absorbing me. Yet I couldn't formulate any words to say, or how to say them, how to _yell _at him. But no sentences fell at the tip of my tongue…well, none that stated the obvious.

My own friend's father _killed _someone.

"I know—you're speechless." Mr. Miller grinned.

"Well, we needed one more ingredient to the potion." Drake said, taking the jar of the tonic, letting a drop of Jack's blood spill into the container. "A drop of human blood. But, it looks like Mr. Miller got carried away with it a little bit."

"_A LITTLE BIT?" _Rudy roared. I could see tears well up in his eyes as well, as he immediately rose up, and stood eye-to-eye with Mr. Miller.

"Ah, Rudy," He said with a tight smile. "So lovely to see you again."

"Is this what you want, John?" He asked. "You're choosing to take it this far by killing people for your own benefit? I thought you changed after what happened in high school. You know…when you went into _rehab _for—"

"Well I didn't change." John snapped, interrupting Rudy purposely. "That place did nothing but generate new ideas for me. Ideas that you're too naïve to understand."

"Violence is never the answer." Rudy said. "I thought _our _sensei taught us that."

I saw Rudy's eyes filled with hurt, as he stared at into his enemy's eyes. For a split second, I saw the remorse flicker in John's eyes…but then it became clear that his ugly, devilish side chose to dominate, and destroy the innocence in him.

"No Rudy…that's what our sensei taught _you_. He taught me to go for what I want, and get it done, no matter what it takes. And that's why I moved out of San Jose, and into Miami, purposely joining a Bobby Wasabi Dojo just to enter this competition…to finally be in charge for once…and get my revenge on _you_."

"What were you planning to be in charge for, once you steal the sword's power?" I stood up, and faced him, wiping the tears away from my eyes. "San Jose? Miami? The World? I'd like to see that happen. You can never do something like that."

"With this sword," He tossed the bloody sword in his hand. "I can do anything."

"And now that the tonic is complete," Drake said, taking the jar closer to his lips. "So are you guys."

I started to charge towards them, but Rudy's arm flung out in front of me, beckoning me to not make any more movement.

"Let them." Rudy hissed in my ear. I stared at him with frantic eyes, as the two madcap men started to gulp down some of the serum.

"What are you—"

"Shh." Rudy hissed. Drake cringed, sticking his tongue out in disgust, not finishing the potion.

"God, this thing tastes like _shit!"_ Drake yelled, coughing. He threw it on the ground, and waited willingly along with John, staring at the ceiling.

_Um…_

"Wait…why isn't anything happening?" John said, baffled. "We completed the ceremony…we chanted the prayers…we even drank this foul drink! What else is missing?"

"I believe you're looking for this," Rudy said, pulling something out of his bag. I stared at the object, and my eyes distended in shock. As did theirs.

"The scabbard." We all breathed, staring at the 30 inch sword holder that was covered in blood-red leather.

"Why do you have it?" I hissed.

"While you kids were out searching for the sword, I managed to do a little research myself." He said, letting out a sneeze. "Since this was used during battle, they wanted to perform a ceremony to bless the sword so they have a little hope of winning. And they performed the ceremony _with _the scabbard on. Apparently, without having the scabbard to cover the Miao Dao sword before the battle, the sword is powerless. So you basically did that ritual for nothing."

A small smile curved at the corner of my lips.

I looked at Jack.

And the tears returned all over again.

"I told you!" Mr. Miller shouted at Drake. "I told you we needed it! You idiot! Why didn't you tell me they had it?"

Drake clenched his teeth and fists in frustration, and glared at him. "Be happy I was the one that found the sword in the first place!"

Rolling his eyes, John inched closer towards us, glaring at Rudy, with the sword tightly gripped in his hands.

"All these years," Mr. Miller said with his teeth clenched. "I lived under everyone's shadow. Including yours. I was hated by everyone. They thought I had no talent for anything. But now is my chance to prove everyone wrong. And I can't do that without you giving me that scabbard."

"Never." Rudy said. "You need to realize that hurting people or getting revenge isn't going to change anything that happened to you in the past. You might feel good at the time¸ but you'll always be hated by everyone."

"But for me, that time is more than enough." Mr. Miller said, glaring at Rudy with a malicious smile. He hid the scabbard behind his back, staring at John like he was insane.

"John, you don't have to do this."

He just smiled.

"Say goodnight Rudy."

And he raised the sword, about to slash his throat.

_No. _

No way was I going to let John to hurt him too.

So with a scream, I kicked the sword away from his hand, and it clattered on the other side of the room.

"In your dreams."

Drake stood in front of me, seeming ready to beat me to the ground.

"How about I put you in one?"

And _that's _when the pandemonium ensued.

With his fiery sea-blue eyes, the blonde shot his hand out, aiming for my head. I grabbed his arm, averting him from touching my skull, and shot a hard kick on his hip, causing him to stumble backward. I rushed over towards him, and performed a roundhouse kick. My foot landed on his face, and he immediately toppled to the ground. He struggled to stand up; he gave me a penetrating glare, as he wiped the small trail of blood lurking on his face. He rushed towards me, attempting to knock me to the ground with his force, when I clutched his arms, trying to push him back.

"For… the past…two…years…" Drake struggled, as he tried shoving me to the ground. "I've…been…searching…for…you…everywhere…trying…to…get…revenge."

I put in all my force to prevent me from falling. "I…didn't...kill…your…parents."

"But…I…always…lived…in…your…shadow." He blurted. I stopped fighting him, and stared into his eyes, and they were filled with shame. My grip loosened on his arm, as did his. And for once, his eyes weren't filled with hate, violence, or anger…the tsunami in his sea-blue eyes seemed to have died down.

For once, all I could see is a calm, blue ocean.

"Really?" I asked.

"Kim, you were the number one black belt in the dojo." Drake said a bit grudgingly. "I could've been number one, but instead you took over. You were Sensei Ty's favorite…I was nothing but a troubled kid. I wanted to change that, but you ruined it. You ruined everything."

"And you think getting revenge will solve everything?" I asked. For the very first time, there was a flicker of penitence in his eyes.

"No, but at least I'll be able to breathe without thinking about my parents all the time. At least I'll get one thing by getting my revenge on you."

"And what's that?"

"Closure."

"_HEY!"_

I turned my head, seeing John and Rudy clutching the scabbard, playing a game of tug-of-war as they both fought for it. With the scabbard, John knocked Rudy to the ground, and picked up the sword, staring at Rudy like he was fresh meat. Rudy squirmed weakly next to Jack, his face covered in a sickly green, his eyes bloodshot, and his body shivering. I kicked Drake in the stomach, shoving him to the ground and rushing over to the scene, shielding Rudy and Jack from Mr. Miller.

"Stay away from him!" I screamed.

John chuckled devilishly, and inched towards me, which only caused me to back further and further away, until my body collided with the concrete wall.

"Face it Kim," Miller said. Drake limped towards Mr. Miller, staring at me grudgingly, with a hint of guilt mixed in his expression. John however looked like a madman. "Rudy's extremely weak. If he doesn't get to a hospital soon, he could die. And Jack…well, we already took care of him. And we'll get rid of your other friends too. You know how this story's going to end. I'll get the scabbard, we'll complete the ceremony, and Drake and I will be unstoppable."

"Not if I'm there."

"Think about Jack," He said. "Without him, Rudy, or any of your friends, what's left for you?"

I narrowed my eyes.

"That's right. Nothing."

Tears slid down my cheek, as the two crowded around me. All I did was stand there, the sudden memories of the last three weeks filling up in my head, from all the places we've been to, the sights we saw, the people we met…

Everything.

And now it's about to come crashing down.

Just when I thought I was winning, I've failed everybody.

History repeated itself.

_The Man. The Screams. The Sirens. _

_The Gun_.

The Men. The Blood. The Sword.

The Hunt.

_A shriek. _

_That's how it all started. _

A sword.

That's how it all started.

"_Please don't kill me!" She shrieked, the tears streaming from her eyes._

Jack was already killed.

_I knew what I had to do. _

It was time to give up.

_This time, the gun was pointed at me. _

The Miao Dao sword was ready to slit over my cold, trembling skin.

"_Say goodnight princess." _

"NO!"

A slightly taller figure stepped in front of me, shielding me away from the sword that was about to end my life. And I immediately recognized who it was. The figure had pin-straight brunette hair flowing over its shoulders, and while I could only see the back of it, I knew that in the front were beautiful brown eyes, a sweet little smile, and one brave personality.

It was nobody but Grace Miller, standing in front of me, and standing in front of her own father.

"Grace? What are you doing here?" I heard John say. "I told you to stay in the other room until the ceremony was complete!"

"How could you do this to me?" Grace screamed, with tears streaming down her face. "What…what happened to you? I never thought my own dad would be willing to kill people just to get what he wanted!"

"You just won't understand, dear." Mr. Miller said in a low tone.

"I do understand everything completely!" She screamed. "This was all about you. Moving to Florida…becoming a sensei…joining this stupid competition. It was all for your benefit! You never cared what I wanted, and you never cared about me! Ever since you and mom divorced, you went out of control! All you wanted was to stand out…but that doesn't mean you hurt innocent people! Especially people you love! Kim is like _family _to us…I can't believe you would do such a thing!"

"Grace, if you would just—"

"No, dad—if you even deserved to be called that." She whimpered. "If you hurt her, you hurt me!"

For the first time, I saw tears emerge in Mr. Miller's eyes, as he reluctantly threw the sword to the ground, with an extreme look of guilt filling his entire expression. With an irritable glare, Drake trudged off, and Grace's father held her in his hands.

"I'm sorry if I—"

"Save it." She said, pulling his hands away from her arms. "I don't even know who you are anymore. Just leave me alone, please?"

"Grace—"

"No! I'm done, dad." She said. "I'm just done."

She turned around and faced me. "Kim, I'm really, _really_ sorry for everything that happened in the past three weeks between us. I've probably been the worst to friend ever to you…because I feel like the worst person in the world. Why would you want to be friends with someone like me?"

I gave her a small smile, and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Why not?"

And she pulled away with a small grin wrapped around her face, both of us in tears.

"Stupid, stupid, _stupid _people."

We all turned around, seeing Drake next to a collapsed Rudy and Jack, holding the scabbard in one hand, and the Miao Dao sword in the other.

"John may have given up because of his daughter," Drake said. "But I haven't. And now that I have everything, I can finally complete the ceremony, and the sword will be mine. Kimberly Crawford, I believe I've finally gotten my—"

"THEY'RE IN THERE!"

A number of men in black outfits bursted into the room, in an instant seizing Drake and Mr. Miller by their hands, which caused Drake to drop both the scabbard and the sword. Followed by the ninjas, came Jerry, Milton, Eddie and Eric with panicked expressions on their faces. And followed by the boys, came a man I was oh-so relieved to see.

Bobby Wasabi.

"Ah, see this is why you should always bring a couple of ninjas on the road with you." Bobby said, glaring at Drake and Mr. Miller. I rushed over, and squeezed Milton, Jerry and Eddie into a tight embrace, so relieved to see their faces.

So relieved to see them alive.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you guys," I said, pulling away from our longer-than-usual embrace. "Are you guys okay?"

They all gave reluctant nods, followed by a deep trembling sigh. I realized that it was kind of a redundant question to ask…of course they weren't okay.

I wasn't okay.

None of us were okay.

"Jerry."

Grace stepped towards Jerry, with tears forming in her eyes, as they locked eyes. Without a word, they both pulled eachother into a tight embrace.

"I'm so glad you're okay." I heard Jerry pant, seeming to hold on to her tighter

"I'm glad _you're_ okay," Grace said, slightly smiling. They pulled away and gave eachother dry smiles. I couldn't help but crack a smile at the two who were most likely going to end up being a couple…

"So, where are Jack and Rudy?" Eddie asked, looking around. "We were so worried about them…did they leave?"

The tears returned to my eyes, and with a trembling finger, I pointed to the two, with their eyes closed, lying together on the floor. Jack's face looked as pale as snow, along with Rudy who looked like he was about to throw up. With a chorused gasp, the huddle of boys rushed over to Rudy and Jack, shocked out of their minds, screaming their names repeatedly.

"What happened?" Milton screamed frantically. "JACK?" He shook him vigorously¸ but he didn't make a single move.

"I see blood!" Eddie shrieked. "I see blood! Wait…I see a bright light…"

And he collapsed to the floor.

"Is he dead?" Jerry screeched. "Holy crap—there's a long wound running down his back! Who did this to him? How did this happen?"

"Why don't you ask the kill-crazies over there?" I retorted pointing to John and Drake, with my voice breaking. "They seem to love playing with swords."

"They did this? They killed Jack with the sword?" Milton asked, staring at the abandoned Miao Dao sword on the floor that was covered in dry blood.

"God damn it!" Eric screamed, rushing over to Rudy. He tried shaking him so he could wake, "RUDY, WAKE UP!"

His eyes bored open, yet his face was still oh so pale.

"Huh? Is it Christmas?"

He weakly rose, and started looking around, his eyes distending in shock. He stared at Milton, Jerry, Eddie and Eric, and narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"What are you guys doing here?" He moaned. "I thought you were beating up the bad guys..." He collapsed back on the ground. "Wake me up when mommy comes home."

"And he calls me the annoying one." Eric said irritably. He dug in his bag, and took out a container, shoving pills into Rudy's mouth, so he could restore at least some of his strength.

"Okay. We'll check on Rudy later…let the medicine take action. Let's check Jack's pulse." Eric said. Unable to look at Jack anymore, I turned away, burying my face in my hands. Suddenly, I felt a hand gingerly touch my shoulder. I looked up, seeing it was Bobby giving me a comforting smile

"I'm glad to see that you're okay." Bobby said. "Eric called me, and I tried to rush here as fast as I could, calling the police, the parents and everything. But unfortunately…I'm too late. My apologies to everything that's happened."

All I did was staring at him, with tears sliding down my cheeks.

"Now," Bobby said, facing the two psychopaths who were struggling to release form the tight grips of the ninjas. "It would seem that you've broken pretty much all the rules of The Hunt, and not following orders, by handing the sword over to us. We were afraid something like this would happen, should you chosen to have research on this particular sword that is rightfully my property. So, as fellow conductor of The Hunt, you two and your groups are hereby disqualified from The Hunt. And I think I'll be able to find a nice spot for you two in prison…I'm sure the Beijing police would _love_ to hear your story.."

The two exchanged frightened looks, and stared back at Bobby.

"Now my ninjas—take them away." Bobby said, with a satisfied smile. And off the guards went, shoving them out the door, and finally away from us. Away from the Great Wall of China.

Away from everybody.

I casted a glance towards Grace, who stared at her father as he was being dragged away. She opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something, but was afraid to. I put a comforting hand on her shoulder, and she stared at me with sad eyes.

"Should I have said something?" She asked. "I mean…serial killer or not, he's still my dad. And that's the last time I'll ever see him."

"Not to worry, dear." Bobby said. "Your father will be taken into custody in the States, so if you wish you to see him, you can. Your mother will gain full custody of you, now."

"Wait…" Grace turned to me. "That means I'm moving back into San Jose!"

I gave her a small smile. For a second, it felt like all our problems were resolved, that everything was over.

Until reality dawned on me once more.

"Kim."

I turned and faced Milton, whose eyes were bloodshot, as his thumb was rested on Jack's wrist, not even bothering to check his pulse anymore. I looked at everyone whose faces were covered in a blotchy red, even Rudy who seemed to have a lot more energy than before. For a second, it confused me as to why Milton was staring at me, with tears falling out of his eyes.

Then he shook his head.

And I knew.

I rushed over to Jack, and I saw his face looking paler than ever, his eyes closed, and his mouth shut, not even moving a muscle. He looked peaceful, quiet, but there was angst mixed in with his indignant body.

"No…you're lying." I choked at Milton. "You're _lying!" _

I grabbed his wrist, searching for some sort of pulse, even the slightest trace of his heart beating.

There was nothing.

He wasn't breathing.

And that's when the tears angrily flooded down my face, as I sobbed like there was no tomorrow.

Because honestly, it didn't look like there was going to _be_ a tomorrow for me.

He's dead. He's dead.

Jack Anderson is dead.

It's just so hard to say.

The remains of the Wasabi Warriors huddled together and wept for the death of the only spark of determination that was there with us.

For the death of a friend.

"Wait!"

Grace rushed over to where the idols were, and grabbed a container that was sitting near the podium. She handed it to me, and gave me a hopeful stare, wiping the tears from my eyes. I stared at the jar, and noticed it was the tonic that John and Drake had created.

_Of course._

"The healing tonic." I exhaled, and faced Grace.

"There's a little left," She said. "But it might work."

Bobby took the cup from my hand, and sniffed it, his eyes widening. "This is an ancient Chinese concoction. It was used for those who were severely injured during war…but as these herbs are extremely hard to find, it could only a treat a limited amount of people. It worked very well, but I don't know if it can cure people who are…"

His voice trailed off, not even bothering to say the last word.

"We have to try, at least." Rudy said, wiping his bloodshot, exhausted eyes.

Bobby knelt down beside Jack, holding the cup with trembling hands, as a tear or two slid down from his cheeks. Elevating his head slightly, Bobby opened Jack's tightly shut mouth, and poured what was left of the healing tonic, which was barely a mouthful. We saw the liquid slide down his throat, and our eyes stared at Jack willingly. At first, he remained in his pale, motionless state, which made our last bit of hopes to come crashing down.

Then we all heard a cough.

A cough.

Coming from the boy who nearly died.

The color slowly flooded back into Jack's face, and we saw him slightly shifting, grunting in slight pain, his nose slightly cringing, and his eyes still shut. There were still dry trails of blood coming out of his back, his shirt soaked in red, but the wound on his back seemed to have healed. Slowly, his eyes slit open, revealing those chocolate brown pools he calls eyes.

And I've never been happier to see those big brown eyes in my life.

"Jack?"

He grunted, and weakly trailed his eyes on each and every one of us, our faces still puffed from the weeping, our bodies exhausted from the fighting.

And his lips curved into a dry, weary smile.

"Did I ever tell you guys that I just _love _China?"

And that's when I knew that Jack Anderson was alive.

"JACK!"

We all crowded around him, embracing him into a tight hug, with tears of joy sprinkling out of our eyes, laughing and panting in sheer relief. As seven people and a giant _Bobby Wasabi _were embracing him tightly, you'd think we'd all be squeezing him to death.

But I could hear Jack's relieved, weak laughter harmonize with the rest of us.

"I am so happy to feel your pulse finally regulating!" Milton said giddily, finally choosing to let go of Jack.

"I fainted when I saw your blood." Eddie said flatly. "But welcome back to life, Jack!"

"Yo, I didn't cry at all when you…you know…died." Jerry sniffed. Jack narrowed his eyes at Jerry, attempting to sit up, wincing along the way.

"You were crying the most out of everyone." Eric said. We shook our heads in disbelief, as Jerry embraced Jack one more time. Rudy stepped in, giving Jack a weak smile.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked him. He nodded, and patted his back.

"I'm okay now knowing that you're freaking alive, man." He laughed.

"Hey Jack,"

Jack stared at Grace and gave her a small smile.

"I'm sorry for everything," She said. "About my dad and…I know you probably hate me right now, but—"

"Who said I hated you?" Jack smiled. Grace's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. "Sure, your dad's a real pain in the back—literally—but…don't be sorry."

She gave Jack a small hug, and walked back towards Jerry. Jack's eyes trailed on Eric, and he glared at him.

"Managed to get my death scene recorded too?" He teased, with a smirk.

"You know, he actually saved us!" Jerry said. "If it weren't for his video camera, we would've never found out where you guys went…and we wouldn't have called in Bobby."

Bobby came, and squeezed Jack into another embrace. "I'm so glad to see that you're alive. And that this nasty drink actually worked! Interesting factoid—we used this tonic in one of my movies _The Last Battle!_ I knew my movies would save lives one day!"

He laughed, wincing as he managed to sit up straighter.

And Jack's chocolate brown eyes finally trailed on me.

The tears returned to my eyes once more as I stared at him, still seeming to suffer from the lasting pain. For some reason, anger washed over me as I threw my arms around him, enfolding him tightly. He wrapped his arms around me, squeezing me reassuringly.

"What the hell were you thinking?" I choked. "You had me worried sick!"

"I'm sorry," He said, holding me tighter. "But I just didn't want to see you or anybody get hurt. And don't worry, I'm—_Anngh!" _

He moaned in pain, clutching his back in agony. I backed away slightly, staring at him in concern.

"We should probably take you to the hospital." Eric said. "It looks like there wasn't enough healing tonic for full recovery."

"And Rudy too. He looks to be in a pretty bad state." Milton said, staring at Rudy, whose head was rested on his lap.

"Hey guys! Yoo-hoo!" Bobby squealed, as we all scrambled up to leave. "This story isn't over yet!"

The shimmering sword and scabbard caught my attention, and I rushed over to pick it up. The sword was still covered in dry blood, and the scabbard was still in its same polished leather, with jewels embroidered on top of it. Bobby handed me a piece of wet cloth, and I used it to polish the blood off of the sword, leaving it back to its original glossy state. I placed the sword into the scabbard.

And I stared at it.

I stared at The Miao Dao sword for a long time.

After three weeks of researching, fighting, traveling, and searching we finally found it.

It's in my hand.

And now it needs to belong in its rightful place.

With a last glance, I handed it to Bobby Wasabi, and gave him a small smile.

"Here it is. Your beloved Miao Dao sword."

He smiled dryly, and locked eyes with me.

"Thank you." He said. I could feel Eric's camera film reeling as he videotaped us. "Thank you all for all the effort you've put in for finding this sword. It shall…rest in peace."

While Bobby was smiling, there was something that seemed to hold him back. His face was covered in…guilt for some odd reason. I stepped towards him, and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Bobby? Are you okay?" I asked.

"No. I'm not, actually," He said. "I know this sword is my property and all…but I don't deserve it."

We all exchanged confused looks. I saw Jack struggling to stand up, clutching Milton and Jerry for support, and walking over to Bobby, staring at him with confused eyes.

"What do you mean?" Jack asked. "Of course you deserve it. You're…Bobby Wasabi."

He chuckled and sighed. "But the only reason why I invested in this sword was for the same reason as Drake and Mr. Miller. I wanted to gain power with this, so I can be remembered more as just a man-lady from the 70's. Of course, I wasn't planning on world domination, and killing people, but I wanted to be powerful too, and gain more publicity for myself. But when seeing everything I've put you guys through, I realized that all I did was make you suffer for my own benefit. So, I'm sorry…if you would all forgive me."

We stared at him in silence. None of us appeared to be mad…but it didn't seem like we were willing to hold hands with him and walk off into the sunset either.

"What's important is that the sword is _now_ in good hands," Jack spoke first, smiling at him. "That it's safe."

And we all nodded along with him.

"Thank you." He said. "Now, let me give you and Rudy a ride to the hospital…it's the least I can do."

"Good, because I need to go to the bathroom, man," Rudy said.

"Wait!" I said. "If you don't want to keep the sword in your possession…then who are you handing it over to?"

"Don't worry." He smiled. "All will be explained at the final gathering tomorrow, which is a ceremony for the winners, which I trust you'll all be attending."

"Huh?" We all questioned in confusion.

"Well Team Miami and Team San Francisco have been disqualified, and even though they were the ones who found it, I guess I have no choice."

We all exchanged confused looks with eachother, staring at Bobby for a long time.

"What are you saying?"

And Bobby Wasabi smiled at all of us, as we stood together, hand in hand, with smiles curving at the corner of our lips.

Like a family.

"Congratulations Team San Jose. You are officially the winners of The Hunt."

*****PLEASE READ. IMPORTANT A/N- Hope you enjoyed the chapter! So yes, our Wasabi Warriors have officially won The Hunt! YAY! I know this chapter was extremely cliché, and corny but I had to make it like that. But The Hunt is officially over! The contest, I mean…not the story. We still have two more chapters for that so stay tuned, folks. The next chapter will be a bonus, short chapter of Jack and Rudy in the hospital, and then we have the grand finale! Maybe an epilogue? Let's see…I do have a few ideas for the epilogue, but let's see if you all want it or not, based on how I end it...**

**Speaking of END. I have a rather sad announcement to make. So, as you all know school will be coming up in September, which is only a month away…and for me, I'm actually starting high school (yay?). But, the thing is, I got selected in all honors classes (again…yay?), and I'm afraid I won't have any more time to do fanfictions. So, after The Hunt and Once Upon a Dream…I'm done being on the Kickin' It Archive, and I'll be leaving this site for good. My account will remain, but I can't write any more stories for you guys. It really pains me to leave, but I just won't have time anymore. I just wanted to let you guys know that over the past year, your support to my stories meant the world to me. You all made me feel special and this site helped me gain more self-confidence thanks to you all…so really, thank you so much for the continuous support.. I'm really going to miss going on here!**

**But I do have some surprises for you all before I leave, so don't lose all your faith in me. **

**Maybe now you'll understand why I chose to change my penname to CherishEveryMoment… **

**On another note, I have gotten a couple of PM's lately, and the reason why I haven't replied is because like I said, internet connectivity is really limited here, and since I have to go on the roof just to connect, I don't have the patience to sit and reply because, it is REALLY HOT over here. I'm barely having the patience to upload this for you guys because it's SO DAMN SLOW. But anyway, once I'm back on the first week of August, I'll be able to reply to all of you, and catch up on a few reviews in an AC controlled room. So, I promise to get back to you guys! I don't want you to think I'm avoiding you…:P**

**Anyway, please REVIEW my lovelies! They make my day! Even a few words would seriously be appreciated…since there are over 70 people following this story; I hope to hear from all of you! **

**Hey, one last thing…mind telling me how Kim of Kong went? I heard a few rumors that Jack and Kim were going to kiss…? I honestly don't think that happened, but I'd like to know how the episode went. :P **

**REVIEW! Thanks for reading!**

**Peace and love, **

**~Taylor **


	19. Let's Talk: Bonus Chapter

**A/N- Hey guys! This is Taylor with my mini-chapter of The Hunt that I mentioned in my previous chapter. Speaking of which—I did announce that I would be leaving, and I just want to let you guys know that all your reviews and PM's (which I will reply once I'm back and settled in the US) really made me cry, because you guys said some of the sweetest things how I inspired you all, and how you were upset and things like that. Thank you guys for all the wishes, and for everything! I seriously love all of you! I will miss you guys like crazy! **

**This story is about to come to a close, but I hope you enjoy this bonus chapter! Keep in mind that I'm still on Jetlag from my return, so this chapter might be my weakest yet. But I needed to get this in for your guys…so enjoy!**

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><p><span>KIM<span>

So after our short cheer of victory for winning The Hunt, we had no choice but to rush over to the Beijing Hospital, with a faint Rudy, and a wounded Jack.

Resting my head on the soft chairs in the waiting area in utter exhaustion, I glanced over at the clock, the time hitting at around midnight. While we were still suffering from Jetlag, the events that occurred today made me tired out of my mind. Next to me sat Milton, who was talking to Julie, assuring her that he was fine, and that we were finally going to come home in a couple of days. On the other side of me sat Jerry, who was resting his head on Eddie's shoulder, letting a little drool to spill out of his mouth, which almost made me laugh. Bobby was over talking to the receptionist, bragging to her about how he was a movie star, and that he was pretty famous over here. Of course, the lady continued to stare at him with a blank look.

While the doctors had assured us that they were both going to be fine, I couldn't help but worry, my head constantly darting towards the two doors that Rudy and Jack were in. Was that healing tonic only temporary? Is Rudy going to be okay? Is Jack going to end up surviving?

I was in quite a mess.

"Okay, give me some more emotion, yeah?"

My eyes trailed on Eric whose camera was stuffed in my face. I glared at him, gritting my teeth in frustration.

"Excuse me?"

"You're worried. You're…you're scared what's going to happen to your boyfriend. Aren't you?"

"Well, we haven't made it official yet…" I said, my voice trailing off.

"Whatever, I just need you to show some emotion for the camera! This is my last footage before I submit it! Jerry and Eddie are sleeping, and Milton's probably the most boring subject in the history of Reality TV! You're the only interesting person in this group! So give me some drama, Kimmy!"

I grabbed the camera away from his hands, and held it high up in the air, threatening to hit to the ground. "If you put that stupid thing in front of my face one more time, the camera gets it." I barked.

"You wouldn't!" He gasped.

"I would. Now shut it off."

Pouting his lip in frustration, Eric shut off the camera and placed it into his bag, giving me a cold glare. Simply shrugging it off, I went back into my seat, my eyelids shutting every now and then. To my relief, a young-looking male doctor appeared out of Rudy's room, instantly spotting me. I stood up, shaking Jerry and Eddie to wake up and walked over to the doctor, who gave me a warm smile.

"How are they doing, doctor?" Eric asked first.

"I am very happy to say that both are doing just fine," He said, in a slight Chinese accent. "Rudy is responding well to the antibiotics, and the only reason why he had fainted earlier was due to exhaustion. All he needed was a little rest. But we're giving him some antibiotics for him to take two times a day for a week, just to be sure."

I sighed in relief, and smiled. "That's great to hear. Thank you so much."

"Wait, what about Jack?" Milton asked. "Is he going to be okay?"

"Jack is also doing fine. We are currently stitching the wound on his back, and he did a few exercises with his back," He said. "Luckily the wound wasn't deep, so after a few weeks, he'll be back to normal. He can still do his normal routines, but I'm requesting him not to partake in any physical activities for the next three to four weeks, depending on how he's feeling."

"Can he still walk and stuff?" Jerry asked. "Because, no offense, but I don't want to push him around in a wheelchair all day."

"Oh, yes, definitely." He said. "Like I said, it wasn't as bad as I thought I was, so by tomorrow morning, we'll release both of them and they should be good to go."

That was an even bigger relief. More than Rudy, I was about to burst into tears again just thinking about Jack. On the way to the hospital, it looked like he was about to pass out again. While the doctor did say he was going to be just fine, I needed to see him with my own eyes and make sure that he's okay. A part of me wanted to scream and be angry at him for being so stupid to sacrifice himself just because he was supposedly "giving up" on everybody and letting us down. But another part of me couldn't love him more. I just wanted to just hug him into a tight embrace, happy that he's okay, that everything's _finally _back to normal.

Which part should I listen to?

"Thank you so much." Eddie said, in relief, snapping me out of my train of thought.

"Glad to help. You can go see Rudy now if you wish…he's been asking for you kids for a while now."

With a last smile to the doctor, we rushed over to Rudy's room, seeing him sitting up fiddling with PlayStation Portable, screaming "go, go, go!" at the video game device. His face stopped looking green, his eyes as wide and bright as ever, and the color and strength drained back into his body, which made our worries fade away. Rolling our eyes playfully, I knocked on the door to get his attention. He looked up, giving us a wide, giddy grin, and shoved the video game into his pillow like it was never there.

"Hey guys!" Rudy said. "So happy to see you all! I was just—"

"Beating up monsters?" Eric snapped, conveying a smile. "Yeah, we know. It looks like you're feeling a lot better."

"I am! Beds with forty different comfort settings…these little Chinese biscuits! I'm living the dream!" He laughed. We all walked up to him, giving him a pat on the back. I smiled at him, overjoyed to see him in his giddy, hilarious self again, rather than seeing him like he was going to die.

"Well, I'm glad to see you're okay, Rudy," I smiled.

"Well, congratulations to you guys—thanks to your hard work, we won The Hunt!" Rudy cheered high-fiving Eric.

"Partially thanks to my videos," Eric chimed in. "Of course, Kimberly here doesn't realize that if it weren't for my recording we would've never have saved you guys…and Jack would be dead."

I flinched at the sound of that.

"Okay, fine," I said irritably, staring up at the British man. "Thank you for…recording us?"

He let out a satisfied grin. "My pleasure."

"I also to thank you for helping us out," Rudy tolled in. "You can be…_really_… annoying; but you're a good friend. And if it weren't for you, we would've never won The Hunt. So thanks for taking care of my kids."

Eric smiled, patting Rudy on the back in a friendly manner. "Anything for you, Rudy. Apart from these…_lovely_ kids, you're maybe the only real friend I have." I smiled at the sight of this…it was nice to see that Rudy had a developed a friendship of his own, and despite what's happened these three weeks, that Eric was still going to be a part of our lives. Apart from being an irritating, camera-loving freak, he was a good person.

Eric was just another Wasabi Warrior.

"So, since we won, what do you want to do with all the prize money?" Milton asked.

"It's fifty thousand dollars, bro!" Jerry hollered. "It's like winning the lottery! Well, we did have to struggle though, fighting people, getting kidnapped, having our friend almost killed—"

"Don't remind me." I stopped him.

"I haven't thought about it actually," Rudy said. "You guys want to renovate the dojo?"

"Nah," Eddie shook his head. "I think I like the old moldy mats and the smell of Jerry's clothes that have never been washed."

"They have been washed!" Jerry defended. I rolled my eyes.

"We could give some money to charity." I suggested.

"Charity? What are you, a saint?" Eddie snapped. I narrowed my eyes at him and threateningly stepped towards him.

"Okay we'll just discuss it later," Rudy said, stopping our quarrels. "For now, let's all just relax and get some rest, and be happy that we're all healthy and…well…_alive._ We have a big day tomorrow—"

"Excuse me?" A nurse came into the room. "Can I speak with whoever is in charge of Jack Anderson?"

"That's me!" Rudy raised his hand, sitting all jolly in his bed.

"Oh, well we finished the stitching on his back, and right now he is just resting. Would you like to see him?"

"Of course," Rudy said, getting up from his bed, and walking towards the exit. Our eyes all distended in shock, as we saw Rudy leaving so carelessly and unconsciously.

"Uh, Rudy?" I said, shielding my eyes at his hospital gown.

"Yeah?"

"Before you leave, you might want to put on some clothes. We can all see your unicorn underpants."

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><p><span>JACK<span>

"Jack your father is here,"

I turned my attention towards the nurse who was peeking out of the door, narrowing in my eyes in confusion. I was about to argue and say that it was impossible, considering the fact that my father died when I was little, so unless he came back from the dead too with that healing tonic, it wouldn't be my dad. Instead, it was a short, blonde haired man came into the room, wearing a sweater with jeans, and a warm smile on his face.

Seeing that it was Rudy, I no longer had the urge to argue.

I sat up from my bed, luckily with no pain following. The stitches seemed to have really calmed down the wound, my back regaining its strength once more. With Rudy here, the pain seemed to have instantly disappear. He smiled, and walked over to me, sitting on the chair that was next to the hospital bed.

"Hey champ," Rudy grinned. "How you feeling?"

"A lot better than before," I said, shifting in my bed. "I feel a lot more energetic now; my back stopped bursting with uncontrollable pain, so I think I'm just fine. I'm just happy I don't have to go on a wheelchair."

"Your mother called, by the way," He said. "She was crying on the phone, but I had to tell her a hundred times that you weren't dead, and you were going to be fine. You can talk with her tomorrow, once we're out of here…but just assure her you're no angel speaking from above."

I chuckled. "So, how are you feeling?"

"A lot better…these Chinese doctors are pretty awesome," He said. He pulled a bag of cookies. "Look! They gave these biscuits to me for free, and they're_ so_ good! You want one?"

"No thanks," I said, laughing. Rudy took a few cookies out from the bag, and put it back in his pocket.

"Listen, I just want to tell you that I'm sorry," He said.

I looked in him confusion. "For what?"

"For everything's that happened. You know, I was the one that wanted to do this whole Hunt thing in the first place, and it was really you kids who put in so much effort to winning…I didn't even feel like I did anything. And then I got sick, and I wasn't responsible of you kids, and I ended up almost losing you—"

"What are you talking about?" I said. "You did everything you could to keep us safe…none of us would even be in China without you. I mean, we all wanted to do this because we wanted a challenge. And even though this was a pretty tough challenge, this was the most fun I ever had. You did what you could, Rudy."

"Yeah, but I almost _lost _you." He said sadly. "Curse my terrible immune system!"

"Rudy…this was the best summer I ever had….and it wasn't because we went across the world, risking our lives and searching for clues. It was because I was with you guys the entire time, and just spent time with you and the others. And you're the most responsible person I've ever met… you want to know why?"

"Because I didn't lose the scabbard?" He asked. "Because, I was staring at that thing like a hawk the entire time."

"No, it was because even though you were sick with a 104 degree fever, you still came for us saved us. We would've been trapped in there, and we would've never won The Hunt without you."

"Yeah, well…" Rudy said, smiling all shy. "Remember what we said on our first away tournament together? That no matter what happens; we're always going to there for eachother? Well, I'm going to be keeping that promise for as long as I can."

"Thanks Rudy," I said. With a smile, we both collided hands, giving eachother one of those man-hugs. While my father was dead, Rudy was almost like a second dad to me. He was someone you could always go to if you needed advice, an amazing teacher as well as friend.

We pulled away, and before we could talk about anything else, I heard a knock coming from the door. We both turned our heads towards the door, and as if on que, Milton, Jerry, Eric, Eddie and Kim walked into the room, walking up to my bed, all of them giving me a warm, relieved smile.

"Hey guys," I waved.

"You're alive!" Eddie cheered. I rolled my eyes playfully, as Milton and Jerry patted my backs. I saw Eric bringing out his camera, and turning it on to record us, which made me slightly irritated.

"How are you feeling?" Jerry asked.

"A lot better….my back doesn't hurt anymore, and the stitches are really helping," I sighed.

"Did you try walking?" Milton asked. "The doctor said your wound wasn't deep, so it's not as bad as he expected. You just can't do karate and stuff for the next few weeks."

"Yeah, and for the most part, I'm walking normal…the doctors are just going to keep me overnight for a few more scans and stuff, and then I can finally leave in the morning."

My eyes imprudently trailed on Kim, who locked eyes with me, her doe-like brown eyes mixed with apprehension and relief. Yet, she didn't say a word to me…all she did was inhaling deeply, like she was deciding on what she wanted to say. At times her eyes flickered anger, but at other times they were filled with relief, as if she was ready to swoop me into a tight embrace.

So which one was it?

"Well," Jerry began filling in the awkward silence. "We're just going to…"

"…Leave you two…to it." Milton said, slowly backing away towards the door.

"Come on Rudy; let's take you back to your room. I want to see the games you have on PlayStation Portable!" Eddie said cheerfully.

"Aw yeah! I just got the latest version of Mario Brothers, and it's so epic! Let's go!" And with a giddy smile, they all ran off to see Rudy's new video game (with Eric seeming to walk a bit more slowly) leaving Kim and I alone in the room. My eyes trailed on Kim, who walked closer towards me, sitting on the chair next to my bed. Her blonde hair slightly covered her eyes, but I could still see the stress and worry filled in them. I brushed the strands of hair away from her face, and she seemed to flinch at my gentle touch.

"Still feeling sore?" She asked, her voice slightly breaking out of concern.

"Nope," I reassured. "Like nothing ever happened."

"Jack, I know you're trying to make me feel better," She glared at me. "You know what, this is my entire fault. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't even be in all this pain."

"It's not your fault," I said. "I did it because I didn't want any of you to get hurt."

"So instead you hurt yourself?" She snapped. "You're not a saint, Jack! You didn't have to go through all that trouble!"

I had half the mind to yell back, but I could see the utter fear in her eyes, which only made me decide against it.

"But that's what friends are for," I said in a calm tone. "We help eachother to get back up, even if it means we have to fall."

"But why did you run off by yourself?" She asked. "When we all could've went together and stopped him? Why did you have to go and be the hero like you always are?"

"Because I care about _you!"_ I screamed, no longer containing my patience. Her angry eyes softened only by the slightest bit as she locked eyes with me, clenching her teeth, her eyes demanding an explanation. With a deep breath, I started explaining her everything that happened, how I wanted to see if I could find the Miao Dao sword for myself, how I saw Drake and Mr. Miller performing the ceremony with Grace, and how Drake was planning to use the sword to get revenge on Kim, which is why he stepped in. Her eyes slightly distended in shock by the time I finished the story, and instead of showing even more anger, she stared at me with sad eyes.

"I'm sorry I made you do that." She said softly. "I didn't mean it when I said you changed and—"

"No. You were right." I said. "I did change. I was ready to give up on The Hunt, on you guys, and I was just ready to walk out because I couldn't take it anymore. But when I found out that Drake was planning on taking revenge on you, I realized that I couldn't walk out on you, or Rudy or anybody. I realized I made a mistake in saying that I wanted to give up. But no matter what happens, I never give up on my friends. And most importantly, I could never give up on you."

She smiled, and before I knew it, her hands were tightly wrapped around my neck, and my arms gently around her waist, pulling me tightly into a hug.

"Thanks for always having my back, Jack."

I pulled away and smiled. "No problem. Well, I _am _your boyfriend—"

"Wait a second," She stopped me. "How can I call you my boyfriend when you never asked me out nor asked me to be your girlfriend in the first place? All we did was kiss once!"

"Please," I said, resting my head nonchalantly on the pillow. "I don't roll that way."

"Then I guess we're not boyfriend and girlfriend since we never made it official," She sing-songed, playing a smile on her lips.

I rolled my eyes and stared at her. "If you want to make things awkward and sappy, then fine." I said, taking her hand, looking at her right in the eyes. I took a deep, slightly annoyed breath, but when looking into her doe-like brown eyes, my mood instantly settles.

Her eyes were mesmerizing.

"Kim Crawford, would you like to be my girlfriend?" I said in a sophisticated tone, which caused her to let out a small giggle.

She didn't answer for a few seconds, actually thinking about her response. Then she let a smile to creep at the corner of her lips. "Nah, I'm good. But thanks for the offer!"

I smacked her arm playfully, rolling my eyes. She laughed, resting her head against the chair in pure exhaustion.

"See? I know how to not make things awkward and sappy," She yawned, her eyelids shutting out of exhaustion every now and then.

"Well, you didn't give an answer."

"What?"

"I still need a yes or no...Otherwise how is it _official?"_ I said, my eyes fixing on her with a challenging smirk. Her wearied, puffy eyes trailed on me once more, and she raised her eyebrow. She leaned in closer towards me, staring at me right in the eyes, and opened her mouth as if she was about to say something.

When the door bursted open.

"_Oof!"_

A man collapsed onto the floor, with some sort of object in his hand. He seemed to have been thrown into the room, as he groaned, struggling to even stand up. While I was still on the bed, it was hard for me to see who it was, but it didn't look like it was Rudy or any of the others. Kim rose from her seat, and took a closer look. I saw eyes distend in shock, her jaws dropped as she helped the man up, smacking him on the head as he gave her a guilty look.

"_ERIC!" _She screamed. I widened my eyes in shock, glaring at Eric who gave us both a sheepish grin.

"Were you recording us?" I questioned, staring at him.

"_What?" _He said in a high-pitch tone.

"You were, weren't you?" Kim snapped folding her arms her chest.

"Okay, but it's been a while since I got some of you two recorded, okay?" He screamed, taking the camera away from Kim's reach. "But anyway, I came here to tell Kim that we need to leave, since the doctors want you and Rudy to get some rest. We have a big day since tomorrow's the ceremony."

"And you're coming?" I asked.

"Of course!" Eric cheered. "I wouldn't miss it!"

"…Yay."

"Okay, so let's go Kim, before Jerry and Eddie run off…again." Eric said, leaving the room.

"Can you at least give me a minute with Jack when you're _not _recording us?" She snapped.

"Alright, fine!" He exasperated. "Meet us all by the exit…we need to let you guys rest. I already see bags under your red eyes, and you look incredibly pale. Might as well be a vampire."

"Get out."

And with a snort, Eric marched off, leaving me and Kim alone. With a roll of her eyes, she walked back over to my seat, grabbing her bag, and giving me a smile.

"Well, I guess I'll see you in the morning," She said. "Just try not to save the world while I'm gone?"

I laughed. "No promises."

She rolled her eyes playfully, and with a last grin, she began to walk off…

But I instinctively grabbed her hand, preventing her from making any movement.

"Wait!"

She turned around and gave a quizzical stare. "You okay?"

"Well I will be until you give me an answer to that question."

Kim glared at me, conveying a smile as she walked back towards me, crouching down next to me, and her face inches away from mine. At first, she seemed a little hesitant, apprehensive on answering my question as if she was making a huge decision. I could see the slight fear flickering across her face, possibly wondering what would happen if we _did_ make this decision.

What if something happens and it would tear us apart?

What if this will tarnish our friendship for good?

The questions crept upon me as well, which caused to feel just as anxious as she was, as we sat together in silence, wondering what to say to eachother.

But that was when we locked eyes.

The fear seemed to have drained away from her eyes, as if my eyes gave her some sort of reassurance, some sort of secure feeling. A smile curved on her lips and she leaned in, placing her soft lips on top of mine.

And it was much better than a simple "yes" or "no".

"There's your answer."

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><p><strong>AN-Really weak chapter, but hey—I'm still on Jetlag and I wrote this while I was half-awake, so I apologize in advance for the chapter being so crappy. But I hope you enjoyed it on some level. I added in some Jack/Kim, Jack/Rudy, and some Rudy/Eric friendship. It all comes down to the LAST chapter which I still need to plan out further…but expect some sappy moments, KICK, JACE, and hopefully an ending that will please you all. Since this is one of the FINAL chapters of The Hunt, can I **_**please**_** hear from all 85 of you that alerted? PLEASE? I only get like 20-25 reviews per chapter, and it's not like I don't appreciate them, but I'd just like to hear from all of you on how I did—feedback really helps! Thanks guys!**

**I'll see you all with my FINAL update on THE HUNT! *sobs***

**~Taylor **


	20. The Best Summer Ever

**A/N- I can't believe this is the last chapter of The Hunt. Like…so fast? It felt like just yesterday I was planning out how to make my first chapter of this story amusing and interesting. It felt like just yesterday I chose to create a Fanfiction account and write stories for a show that I was obsessed with. Remember when I published my first story Kim-Napped? Hah…don't read that. It was horrible. **

**Okay, enough of my rambling. I do apologize for keeping you waiting so long. I've been struggling on how to make this perfect for you guys without making too long. So I hope that this ending will please you.**

**Please read the A/N on the bottom when you're done. **

**Enjoy my last update on The Hunt! **

**This one's for you, Ariana…:)**

**(excuse me while I go fetch a few tissues….)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 20: The Best Summer Ever<strong>

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><p>KIM<p>

"I'd like to gladly welcome our winning team from San Jose to the final ceremony of The Hunt!"

A chorus of applause roared throughout the entire banquet hall, as all six of us walked in to the hall, utterly awe-stricken. The public room was crowded with hundreds of people all eagerly staring at us with excited grins. A large interior fountain was placed in the middle of the room, with modern Chinese paintings decorating the walls, and a number of contemporary-styled chandeliers dangling on top to create a dim lighting to the hall. The entire room had a natural ambiance to it, making it feel a lot more comfortable than your typical, clichéd ballroom.

It was amazing.

Of course we dressed correctly for the occasion for once. I wore a white tank top, with a turquoise cami underneath, tucking it into a sea-blue skirt with floral designs on it, while accessorizing myself with flower-patterned jewelry. No way was I going to wear another lavish, formal like dress again…the ensemble was casual with a hint of formal, and the dress revealed my girly side…

The dress was… _me_.

And for the first time this summer, I wore something that pleased myself.

The boys stayed in that fine line between formal and casual as well. They wore dress tops with jeans, and they too felt satisfied with their ensembles. The funny thing was I didn't need to remind them that t-shirts with ninjas on them or jeans with golden chains weren't appropriate.

What kept us more awe-stricken was the crowd as they congratulated us while we walked into our last banquet hall. It was the exhilaration. The feeling that for once, we were important.

That we mattered.

"In a few moments, we will allow our guests of honor to come up on stage and say a few words," Bobby winked in our direction. "For now, just sit back and relax…we will provide you with our special lunch shortly."

The group of people returned to their individual conversations while we faced eachother with our mouths still agape.

"Can you believe this?" Rudy said, astonished. "This is way bigger than what I dreamed my wedding would be like. It would be a fine Tuesday evening, and I'd get married to a supermodel in Jamaica on a yacht—"

"Then I think it's best to keep dreaming," Jack said¸ patting Rudy's back teasingly.

"I can't believe all of this is just for us!" Milton said. "Holy Christmas Nuts!"

"Bobby really out-did himself…this place is amazing," I breathed.

"This place is so dope, yo!" Jerry said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm just going to uh…look for, you know—"

"Kim!"

I spun my head around, meeting eye-to-eye with Grace Miller who looked at stunning as always. She wore a light pink strapless dress, her copper-brown hair in angelical curls and she had a kind smile on her face. With a wide grin, I pulled her into a hug.

"You look amazing!" I said. It was predictable for Grace to where something like this, as she was a lot more girlier than I was.

"So do you!" She squealed. She turned to Jack, who gave her a small and wave. "How are you feeling?"

"Never been better." Jack said. I could feel his eyes flicker on me for a second which caused my cheeks to slightly redden. Raising her eyebrows playfully at me, she laughed a little bit.

"Well, Jerry was certainly missing you…eh, Jerry?" Eddie nudged him playfully. His eyes slowly trailed on Eddie menacingly, glaring at him. I exchanged deliberate looks with Grace as her cheeks colored, lowering her head in slight embarrassment.

"Well¸ I wanted to show you guys something…it's in the hallway. Come with me," Grace gestured. Exchanging confused looks, we all followed the brunette into the hallway, and she showed us something that we never thought we'd really see again.

The Miao Dao sword.

The beautiful royal-red scabbard sealed the finely shaped piece of metal, with jewels embroidered on it. The sword stood on a podium, covered behind a large piece of glass with two guards standing by it. We all had our mouths agape, as we stared at the beautiful antique in admiration. This might sound weird, but the sword actually looked…peaceful. It actually looked like a piece of history rather than a weapon. The shade of red that was on the scabbard wasn't a blood-red fiery hue anymore…the shade was calmer, more pleasant to look at.

And that's when I realized the sword really was in its rightful place.

"It's beautiful," Milton breathed. "It just screams ancient Chinese history! I got to take a picture of this!"

"No pictures!" The security guard hissed in a strong Chinese accent. Pouting his lip in fear, Milton stuffed the camera in his jacket, hiding behind in Jack in fear. I chuckled and rolled my eyes.

"I figured since you guys saved it, you deserve to see it one last time before it gets locked away in some complex security system." Grace sighed.

"I wonder who Bobby's going to hand it over to," I said.

"He's probably going to hand it over to some museum here," Jack told me. "Or maybe hide it away in one of his other million dollar homes. Who knows?"

"Hey guys! I saw that they're handing out the appetizers! Come on, let's go!" Eddie said, rushing into the banquet hall. Rolling their eyes, Rudy and Milton followed him inside leaving Jerry, Grace, Jack and I alone in the room.

"So…" Jerry said, facing Grace. "So Grace, I was wondering you know…you and I…we got to know eachother a lot better through this whole Hunt thing, and uh…you know when we get back to the States…I was just wondering if—"

"Yes. I'd love to." She said with a smile. "But first…do you want to sit with me at the Banquet? I feel like we have a lot to talk about…"

"Sure," Jerry smiled. Laughing a bit dryly, they interlocked hands, and walked out of the room. I couldn't help but smile at the two soon-to-be couple, exchanging looks with Jack.

"Who would've known, huh?" Jack shrugged, smiling at me.

"I expected this sooner or later…Grace sometimes went into these non-stop talks about Jerry ever since that football game last year. It was pretty obvious."

"Hey, maybe we could double-date with them? It'd be a win-win for us and them, you know," Jack said leaning his head closer towards me. "They say that double-dates help ease the anxiety on a first date."

"But I'm not scared, Jack." I said, shoving him away playfully. "If it's anyone that I'm the most comfortable with, it's you. So I'm okay with it being just the two of us…all I want is to go to a place where we both feel comfortable."

He chuckled. "So I'm going to cross out going to the movies, then?"

I sighed, and contemplated the thought of going to the movies again after what occurred last time. The memory was still fresh, and now that I knew who it really was that nearly killed me that night, the horrible memories wouldn't stop creeping into my mind.

But I looked at Jack right in the eye… and I shook my head.

"The movies actually sound nice. In fact, I've wanted to see this new movie really badly so maybe we should go."

He slightly narrowed his eyes at me. "What happened to the girl who started hyperventilating when she just heard the word 'movies'?"

I sighed, and shrugged. "I want to do what I want to do. I'm not afraid of Drake or even some silly nightmares."

I'm Kim Crawford.

There's nothing for me to be afraid of.

Nothing.

"Let's see if you really can handle it, then." Jack smirked. "Once we get back, you and I are going to see The Women in Black…then let's see if you're really little Miss Fearless Crawford now."

I raised my eyebrows, and rolled my eyes with a playful grin. "Oh you're on, _Anderson."_

We both burst into tiny laughter, and I felt his gaze fixed on mine. We both fell silent; staring into each other's eyes, mine getting mesmerized by his seas of chocolate brown. In that moment, I might have felt like I was walking on clouds, that I was one of the luckiest girls, as cheesy as that may have sounded. Just one look could take me on a journey, on an adventure probably just as big as The Hunt.

Or maybe even just a slip down memory lane.

"Jack," I whispered.

"Yeah?"

With a deep breath, I leaned forward and pressed my lips on his cheek.

"Thank you."

He narrowed his eyes in confusion, smirking at me. "For what?"

I sighed and smiled, taking his hand. "For keeping your promise. Without you, I would've never said yes to The Hunt. And I would've never had the summer of my life, going to all these places, and…having an adventure. Because of you…I really did have the best summer ever. So thank you."

Jack smiled, squeezing my hand reassuringly. "Your welcome. You know…I should be thanking you too."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "For what? I didn't really promise you anything."

"Exactly. Because out of everything that happened, _you _were the one that made my summer the best one yet."

Smiling, we pulled eachother into a lingering hug, my arms wrapped around his neck, and his wrapped around my waist, squeezing me a bit tighter as both of us never wanted to let go. That was until we heard Bobby testing out the microphone from the inside.

"We should go," Jack said, pulling away reluctantly. "Bobby's probably going to start any minute."

"Um, I'll just meet you there," I blurted. "I uh….forgot something. In the hotel room. I'll just be right back."

Seeming to reluctantly buy it, Jack gave a last wave and walked back into the Banquet hall, leaving me alone in the hallway with the sword that had started it all. I gave a long stare at the Miao Dao sword, evoking everything we did to find that sword before anybody else. I started to reminisce every place we discovered, every clue we deciphered, every fight we fought, and every moment we shared together.

While this one sword may have nearly brought all of us in tragedy, all it did was knit us Wasabi Warriors closer together, taking us on a journey we never even would have dreamed of.

The security guards may have thought I was insane for talking to an inanimate object, but I didn't seem to care.

And these were the last words I said to the Miao Dao sword.

"Thanks for a summer adventure."

* * *

><p>"EVERBODY LISTEN UP!" Bobby screamed rather impatiently, just like he did in the first meeting. With confused, slightly taken aback looks, their eyes trailed towards the man in his traditional Chinese get-up who managed a tight smile on his lips. All six of us were standing by the stage, with interlocked hands as we stared at Bobby with his manager Kevin standing by his side. While I could tell he was feeling slightly uncomfortable with the hundreds of pairs of eyes giving him cold looks, I could see the content lighting up his face. More so I could see the content on everybody's faces, as they gave us thankful and appreciative grins.<p>

The grins that made us feel satisfied as well.

"So now that I have all of your attention, I'd like to begin the well-deserved ceremony for our winning dojo," Bobby's eyes flickered towards us with gratification. "My San Jose dojo…please come to the stage!"

A round of cheers and applause broke from the audience as we all made our way up the stage with wide, blissful beams across our faces. We were soon standing on a large wooden stage, face-to-face with a group of people that were clapping hysterically, making encourage noises with laughter echoing in the background.

They were making all those noises and claps for _us. _

I caught a glimpse of Bobby's manager Kevin who took out a large golden trophy from the back of the stage. I could see words inscripted on the surface of the metal saying "THE SAN JOSE DOJO" in large letters and underneath that was "THE HUNT" encrypted underneath. He handed it over to Bobby who gave it to Rudy with an honored look on his face. The crowd roared even louder as Rudy held it up high in pride, with the help of our hands gripping the handles of the trophy. We smiled at the crowd in content, where I could see a perfect view of Grace cheering me on which only made my smile to grow even bigger.

Throughout this summer adventure, this is the happiest I've ever been.

And it was that single moment where I truly felt victorious.

Bobby motioned himself towards the microphone¸ which caused the crowd's cheering to die down. We set the heavy trophy down, giving our attention to a slightly serious looking Bobby.

"Now, this wonderful group of kids has gone through quite a journey to be where they were today," Bobby began his speech. "One of the reasons why we created this as a reality show was to monitor what everybody was doing. Speaking of which, I'd like to acknowledge our camera crew out there who made The Hunt to be one of the most-watched shows on Fox! Show yourself—excellent job boys!"

A respective group of applause roared throughout the ballroom as I saw Eric and the others give shy waves.

"Anyway, while we had to monitor all twenty of the dojos in the beginning, we felt this particular group to be the most interesting. And it wasn't _just _because of our short little blonde friend, here."—the crowd burst into chorused laughter—"It was the overall chemistry between all of you. How you stood by one another, how no matter what happened you were never going to give up on eachother. And you were willing to fight to the finish, and more importantly not give up on finding my beloved sword. Their tasks weren't easy at all, and a few of them even took a detour to the hospital. But you guys were so determined, so focused, and so loyal to one another. You guys are what the Wasabi Code is all about. So thank you so much for everything you've done to keep the Miao Dao sword in good hands."

Another chorused cheer echoed through the crowd, and we returned smiles to the groups that were overjoyed at our victory.

"Because of their hard work and bravery I'd like to give out a few…individual prizes if you will," Bobby said. "I'd first like to present awards to our favorite sweethearts. Jack and Kim…come on over here!"

My cheeks slightly reddening we both walked closer towards Bobby, hand-in-hand, and sending eachother a few quick, shy glances. While it was a bit odd to be called the "sweethearts" Jack's reassuring squeeze in my hand made the anxiety go away.

"Aw, well look at you two!" Bobby cheered, which caused the audience to squeal "aw" simultaneously. "Don't you two look adorable!"

We sent him shy grins, my cheeks beginning to grow on fire.

"Yeah, well." I heard Jack mumble shyly.

Bobby stood right in front of us. "You two were incredibly brave throughout this journey. Your level of courage, loyalty and confidence inspired all of us in so many ways as we saw you two fearlessly battling your opponents. But what really touched us the most is the two of you battling for eachother. So I think you two are ready to go onto the next step of both of your martial arts careers."

"Next step?" Jack asked.

"Of course…it's never over in Martial Arts. Jack Anderson and Kim Crawford…congratulations on earning your position as asecond-degreeblack belt!"

Wait…_what?!_

Jack and I exchanged astounded looks, as we saw Kevin handing us our new, rolled-up black belt with two yellow stripes on the end of the belt. Bobby placed medals over our necks, and high-fived the both of us, with a pleased smile on his face. We stared at our black belt in complete shock, not even believing our eyes.

We've officially gone into the next step of advanced martial arts.

Together.

With an exchange of smiles, we wrapped our new belt around our outfit and faced the crowd who had grown hysterical. I grinned widely at Jack, and we pulled eachother into a tight hug. We ran towards the rest of our friends, and before I knew it, Jerry and Eddie had already rushed towards me, and picked me up swinging me around in excitement, screaming "Our second-degree buddy!" repeatedly in my ear. Finally choosing to put me down, I rushed towards Milton as he squeezed me into a hug, which only made my smile to grow wider. I pulled away and he stared at me with those sweet eyes. Next to Jack, if it was anybody that I felt most comfortable with, it was him. Seeing his smile made me feel like I really achieved it.

"Congratulations Kim! I'm so happy for you!" Milton exclaimed, grinning. "You definitely deserved it. But I hope we can still have our 'Weekly Wednesday Spars'…even though I'm not nearly as good as you."

I laughed, and nodded at him. "Of course. While you weren't much of a challenge, you still put up with me, even though I've flipped you to the ground thousands of times. You're one of the reasons why I'm this good today. So thank you."

With a last smile, Jack and I finally came face-to-face with Rudy, who was fanning his eyes like the melodramatic person he was.

"My students…are second degree black belts?" He breathed, pulling us both into a hug. "Jack…Kim…I am _so_ proud of you two. You guys definitely deserved it, with all the effort you put into this. I'm ready to challenge you guys more than ever now."

"Good." I smiled. "Oh, and Jack? Just because we're together now, doesn't make it okay for you to go easy on me. So you're going on me harder than ever now."

"After what happened _last _time, I don't think I'll hold back again," He said, rolling his eyes.

"Settle down folks, settle down," Bobby motioned the crowd, which caused the clapping to cease. "We're not done. We still have three little goofballs to get through. Milton, Jerry, Eddie…get on over here!"

Shocked, the three boys walked over to Bobby while the crowd cheered them on, including us. I could see the excited grins on their faces, as they nudged each other's arms repeatedly, shaking in enthusiasm.

"What it do, boss?" Jerry smirked.

"Don't push it," Bobby smiled wryly. "Anyway, while these three students haven't quite matched Jack and Kim's level¸ they're still superior in their own way. Throughout the course of this three week adventure, I noticed that these boys have shown extreme progress in their martial arts, and more importantly their self confidence that they really can be as good as their peers. They showed extreme loyalty towards their friends, and without them, we probably wouldn't even be standing here right now. Milton, Jerry and Eddie….you have come very far and very well with your martial arts. I'm so proud of the way you stood up for yourselves, and the confidence you've grown in you. I think it's time to grow out of those orange and green belts, don't you think?"

I saw them exchange confused looks with eachother as they stared at Bobby, completely bewildered.

"Even _I _don't get what's going on, and I'm supposed to be the smart one." Milton said to Bobby which caused fits of laughter to burst from the audience.

"Then let me explain. Milton Krupnick, Jerry Martinez, and Eddie Johnson…I hereby pronounce you official black belt members of the San Jose Bobby Wasabi Martial Arts Academy."

And that's when the crowd, including us, once again went nuts.

The three boys had their jaws wide open, as Kevin handed them their rolled up, brand new black belts, and the three stared at it like it was some sort of object nonexistent in Earth with their eyes distended in revelation, and their jaws practically falling to the ground. Rudy, Jack and I cheered hysterically with the crowd, laughing as we saw their awe-stricken faces. Bobby placed medals around each of their necks, and with a giddy smile, they quickly shook hands with Bobby and Kevin, and ran towards us into yet, another group hug. Rudy pulled away, and this time I could see real tears emerge in his bloodshot eyes.

"Rudy are you _crying?"_ Jack laughed.

"Nah, nah, there's just…Chinese dust in my eyes," Rudy fanned his eyes, exhaling theatrically. "I'm just…incredibly proud of all three of you. You improved so much in your martial arts these past few weeks and you definitely deserve this. I never thought I'd see the day you three would become actual belts! Be strong Rudy…be strong!"

"Hell yeah you should be!" Jerry hollered. "We're black belts buddy! For the first time, my family's going to actually be proud of me!"

"I can't wait to phone Julie!" Milton cheered. "This is the happiest moment of my life! That is until I win the Nobel Peace Prize. Well….actually…even if I do win the Nobel Peace Prize, it'll never be better than this moment."

"I can't believe this…I never thought I'd actually be a black belt." Eddie said, eyes dilated. "I mean…._m_e? Look at me! I'm…I'm short and pudgy and not even close to flexible. How am I a black belt?"

Rolling my eyes, I took Eddie's belt from his hand, and tied it around his shirt. "_You _my friend deserve this black belt just as much as Jerry and Milton. Trust me; I can see it on your Gi already."

"Really?" Eddie asked willingly, never taking his eyes off of his new-colored belt.

"Absolutely." I smiled, pulling Eddie into a small, friendly hug. "Congratulations, Eddie."

The rest of them wrapped their belts around their waist, cheering in victory along with the rest of the crowd which made me smile. It was nice to see that even they had a share of their moments as well.

"And of course how could I forget the sensei?" Bobby said. "Rudy, come on over!"

With a smile, he rushed up towards the podium giddily, jumping up and down in excitement, like some little kid. We all

"What did I win, what did I win, what did I _WIN?!" _He pleaded like a little boy.

"Calm yourself," Bobby ordered. "Now, as sensei you definitely fulfilled your duty and you've helped these kids as much as you could. And for that, it's time to award _you _Rudy Gillespie and your students a grand check for fifty thousand dollars, _and _a chance to go to any destination for one week!"

The applause continued to roar as Kevin handed Rudy a large, billboard-sized check that read for fifty-thousand dollars, that being our winning prize money which we still had no idea what we were going to do with. He had a wide grin on his face, as he gestured us to come towards the podium along with him.

"Would you like to say a few words Rudy?" Bobby gestured to the podium. Nodding, Rudy stood closer towards the podium, standing on his tippy-toes so his mouth could reach the microphone.

"Hey everybody!" Rudy cheered, causing the crowd's clapping to die down. "God…I don't even know where to begin. Well first, I'd like to thank Bobby Wasabi himself and his producers for creating The Hunt which was this mind-blowing adventure. And more importantly, I'd like to thank all my students because without them, I wouldn't even be here. They…continue to make me proud every day, and I'm blessed to have them in my life. And I'd also like to give a shoutout to someone who I never thought would be my friend. Even though this guy can really push my buttons at times when he constantly followed us around everywhere taking videos of us, I know that he's always going to be there for me whether I like it or not. So I want to share this award with one of my best friends…Eric. Get on over here you idiot!"

I saw a guy with a scarf pop instantly out of the audience with a large grin on his face, as he sprinted towards the stage, throwing his arms around Rudy into a friendly hug. It was nice to see that Rudy had a friend he could rely on, a friend that honestly had many things in common with him. It was nice to see that be benefited somehow from this summer trip.

"Thank you, Rudy!" Eric beamed in his heavy British accent. "That is one of the nicest things anyone has ever said about me. I'm thankful to have gotten to know you, and this group of wonderful kids."

He patted his back with a grin and faced Bobby, who was gesturing for the crowd to settle down.

"So Rudy, and…students," Bobby said. "What are you planning to do with the fifty-thousand dollars? We'd all love to know!"

His eyes focused on us, and I could see the slightly anxious, guilty look portraying in his hazel eyes, as we haven't even thought about what we were going to spend the money on. What were we going to do with fifty-thousand dollars? Renovate the dojo? Buy a new car? Make our own skate park?

There was nothing that we wanted because we already had everything.

I gave Rudy one last reassuring nod, and Rudy took a deep breath facing Bobby as he eagerly shoved the microphone closer to his face.

"Well Bobby, we've all decided and I think we all agree on what we're going to do with this money." Rudy sighed.

"And what is that?"

"We're going to be giving it back. We don't want the money."

A number of gasps and indistinct whispering broke from the group of people as they looked at us like we were mad. Even Bobby stared at us like we needed a trip to the mental hospital.

But we were sane enough to know that our decision was final.

"But Rudy…why? I remembered three weeks ago all of you were so…desperate in wanting the money, just like the other teams. It's one of the reasons why we hosted this competition." He said. "Why don't you want the money?"

"Because we don't need it." Jack chimed in. "To us, it was never about the money or the prizes, or even becoming black belts in martial arts. It was about doing what was right and getting the sword in the right place. And…we did that."

All of us nodded in agreement as we stared at Bobby who still seemed skeptical as he fixed his glare on us.

"And you're sure you don't want the money?" Bobby said. "Because—"

"We're sure, Bobby." Rudy nodded. "Here…how about you use the money to build some security systems for the sword? That way, there's no chance of you losing it again...I mean, even if you did give the money to us…we would've done the same thing."

"Wait, but we're still getting that week off to go wherever we want, right?" Jerry hissed in my ear. I shot him a glare and pinched his ear for a quick second so he could shut him mouth for a few minutes.

Bobby still didn't seem convinced, but he gave a small nod, taking the check as Rudy handed it over to him. "So be it."

With a small smile, he turned to face the audience with a large sigh.

"Now before we conclude this congratulatory ceremony with a feast and quit my rambling, I must confess something myself." Bobby said. The crowd's cheers died down as they faced Bobby with serious eyes.

"As you know, I had stated earlier that Miao Dao sword was my property and that once it was found I'd be keeping it for myself." He took a deep, shaky breath here. "But after seeing what these kids have gone through, it just wouldn't be right. What wasn't caught on video was the Miao Dao sword actually having powers that was originally said to be nothing but a fable. Yet, I believed every word of the legend, contemplating the thoughts of what it would be like to gain all that power. It then dawned on me that I don't deserve to restore the sword into my property."

For the first time today, there was a deadpan silence throughout the room, as a few people exchanged thoughtful looks with one another.

"So with that being said, I'd like to pass on the Miao Dao sword to someone I find truly deserves the sword. This person defines a true Wasabi Warrior more than anybody I know. This person is courageous, determined, strong, and over the past year has become an incredibly good friend of mine. And I know he'll do a fantastic job of keeping the Miao Dao sword safely. Because this person has pure intentions more than anyone. So I pass down the Miao Dao sword to none other than my best friend, Rudy Gillespie."

Our eyes dilating in revelation, we faced Rudy who looked more astonished than any of us and once again the crowd went wild. We all wrapped our arms around him into a quick hug, but he seemed so flabbergasted, he couldn't even return the hug properly.

"I'm sorry…who now?" Rudy asked.

"_You,_ that's who!" I cried. "You get to keep the Miao Dao sword!"

"SWAG!" Jerry cheered.

"Yeah, you go Rudy!" Eddie hollered.

"Dude you get to keep the Miao Dao sword!" Milton screamed. "Do you know how lucky you are?"

"Jolly good! I can't wait to take a picture of you with that sword and post it on Facebook!" Eric exclaimed giddily.

His dilated eyes met Jack's next¸ still seeming to not comprehend anything that was going on and he rolled his eyes playfully, giving him a reassuring smile.

"Well don't just stand there, go get what's rightfully yours!" Jack teased.

Seeming to still be in shock, He stumbled towards Bobby, with his mouth still forming a perfect little "O".

"Wh—why me?" Was all Rudy could say. "I mean…I…Me…I'm not worthy—"

"Nonsense!" Bobby hollered. "Rudy…I'm putting you up for the job because I trust you more than anyone else. And well…you got a lot more to live for than me, so the sword will officially be under your name from now on."

"Wow…well, I promise I won't let you down!" Rudy said.

"I know." He smiled. "Now…Let's give a final round of applause for the San Jose team, the official winners of The Hunt!"

The crowd of people stood up, clapping and cheering hysterically as we stood together, hand-in-hand with large grins on our faces, our new black belts wrapped around our waists, our medals dangling from our neck, and the trophy sitting right in the middle of us.

And somewhere in all of that¸ knowing that the sword was going to be in safe hands, I felt like a winner as well.

So that was the end of our congratulatory ceremony, as the crowd began to disperse to find their own lunches.

"Well Rudy, since the sword is officially your property now…can I pretty please take a picture with it?" Milton begged.

"Sure," Rudy rolled his eyes. "Hey, how about we all take a group photo? It'll be something to add to my live photo gallery back at the dojo."

"Sounds good!" Eddie called.

"I'll take the picture!" Eric offered.

"Why not? It'll be a good memory," Jack shrugged.

"Kim, Jerry…what about you?" Rudy asked us.

Before I could say anything else, I saw Grace rush up towards the stage and throw her arms around me, squealing with me in excitement.

"I think we're good," Jerry answered. "We'll meet you there."

"Kim, you're a second degree black belt! Oh my goodness, I'm so happy for you!" She squealed.

"Hey, what about me? I'm a first degree black belt!" Jerry chimed in stepping in front of me which completely blocked my view of Grace. I rolled my eyes playfully and observed Grace's eyes lighting up like a Christmas tree, as she wrapped her arms around Jerry's neck, tightly squeezing him into a hug. I exchanged looks with Jack as his eyebrows danced teasingly darting towards Jerry's flushed cheeks in amusement¸ which only caused me to laugh.

"I'm really happy for you too," Grace sighed with a smile. "You deserved it. And hey…it looks good on you! All you need is maybe a leather jacket—"

Smirking, I left the two alone so Grace could continue to give Jerry fashion tips like she always does. I started to head over to the hallway for the picture, where the noise from the crowd began to die down.

"Well…looks like stories really do have happy endings, don't they?"

_Who said that? _

_Wait…that voice. _

_Why is it so familiar?_

Narrowing my eyes, I spun around, and came face-to-face with a guy I never thought I'd see again. He looked down at me with those hazel eyes I first caught sight of three weeks ago, his dirty blonde hair in spikes and he had a teasing smirk on his face. I distended my eyes in revelation, as he inched closer towards me with that flashy grin nearly burning holes into my eyes.

"I mean…this seems like one happy conclusion to me…what do you think?" He smirked.

My lips curved into a wide grin, as I instantly recognized who the person was.

"Travis?!" I cried. I quickly gave him a friendly hug as we exchanged soft chuckles. "Wow, I can't believe you're here! What…what are you doing here?"

"What do you think? I'm here to cheer you on!" He laughed. "I really wanted to see you again! And see your other friends too, of course. I was still watching you guys on TV, and saw that you won after all. My prediction was correct."

"I'm really happy to see you," I smiled. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"I guess I wanted to leave it a surprise," He grinned. "But, congratulations on becoming a second degree black belt. And winning The Hunt, of course. That's…amazing. I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks…It means a lot." I smiled.

"Listen, I heard everything that happened, and I just wanted to see if you were okay. And if how Jack and Rudy are doing."

"They're doing much better now…and I'm fine." I said. "Just glad that everything's over and back to normal."

"Well…I'm sorry," He said. "I know how all Drake wanted was really just revenge. And all Mr. Miller wanted was power, which was why they joined forces so well. Which reminds me…I paid a visit to them today at the station and they're being deported back home…but it doesn't look like they're going to get out until we're ancient…like, thirty. Just thought you should know."

I let out a soft, uneasy chuckle. "Well, I guess they deserved it…you know for nearly killing Jack and all."

I said it like it was such a simple thing when that still gave me nightmares.

"But just…watch out, okay?" He said. "When I was in…well…cohorts with Drake, he told me everything about his plans, his back story…everything. And from what I've seen, he doesn't stop until he gets what he wants. Even if he is behind bars, he's the kind of person that'll do…whatever it takes. He's not done yet, Kim. You know that, right?"

I exhaled deeply, and looked down, constricting my jaw in frustration. "Can we just not talk about this, please? I'm already feeling guilty that because of me, Grace lost her dad. She seems okay with it but—"

"No. I understand." He said, putting his hands into his pockets. "Well Kim, I was wondering…since summer's not completely over yet…maybe you and I could start over? I could come to San Jose if you want, and maybe we could hang out…for real. Go to the movies, dinner, something…?"

I locked anxious eyes with him. "Travis, I thought we already had this conversation—"

"Look, I didn't just come here to congratulate you and see you take that award. I could've emailed you, texted you, or even video-chatted with you." Travis said¸ closer to me than ever. "But I wanted to see you in person to tell you that…I can't stop thinking about you. I felt guilty even when you forgave me for what I did to you in Paris, and I just needed to tell you that…I really, _really_ like you."

I stared up at him with my eyes distending in shock as he was closer to me now than ever, beginning to lean in…

But I backed away instantly.

"Stop!" I cried, my heart nearly thumping out of my chest. I saw Travis' instantly hurt expression, which just made me feel guilty.

"I…I'm sorry Travis, but I can't. I only see you as a friend, and nothing else. I'm…I'm with Jack now, okay? And it's not like I don't like you anymore, I do, but…my feelings are totally platonic. Can you please respect that?"

"No. I understand." He said once more with more hurt shredding out of his voice. "I'm sorry."

I bit my lip once more, no longer making any eye contact.

"You know...I always knew you two would end up being a couple," He added, trying to smile. "I just didn't think it would happen so soon. But…I just want you to know that I'm happy that…you're happy. If that makes any sense."

I looked up and gave him a small smile. I opened my mouth, about to say something to him when I heard someone call my name.

"Kim!"

I spun my head around, coming face-to-face with Grace and Jerry, holding hands.

"What are you doing?" Grace asked a bit skeptically.

"Nothing, I just ran into Travis who wanted to…congratulate me," I said, my eyes flickering towards him. "That's all."

"Well, come on! Rudy's calling us for a group picture! I need to find a good spot before Milton and Eddie does!" Jerry said. Seeming very impatient, he ran into the hallway, leaving me with Travis and Grace.

"Bye Travis," I waved.

"Congratulations," He said. "And I'm not just talking about The Hunt…"

And with a last wave, he disappeared into the crowd leaving me alone with Grace.

"Okay…what was that?" Grace asked. "Did I miss something?"

I faced Grace, shaking my head to get my mind off of the conversation. "Just forget about it. It's really nothing. Come on…let's go get that picture."

"I just called you to go…I'm not really a part of your dojo, remember?" Grace said.

I faced her and raised my eyebrow. "It's a…family photo. And Grace…you're a part of the family, too."

With a smile, we both walked into the hallway, seeing Eric preparing his camera while the rest of the boys were scattered all over the area of the glass. Rudy was holding the trophy in his hands, deciding which pose he should strike, while Milton, Jerry and Eddie were fighting over where they should stand. Completely taking the conversation I had with Travis out of my head, I walked right over to Jack who couldn't seem to take his eyes off of the sword.

"Look at it," I said, getting Jack's attention. As soon as he saw me, he flashed a smile.

"I know," He said. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"You know… I'm happy we saved it. I mean, thanks to this we became second degree black belts. I guess we really can call this a happy ending,"

Jack stared at me and smiled, letting out a soft chuckle, and he took my hand in his.

"I guess we can."

I flashed him a grin, and we both laughed quietly together, gripping each other's hands.

"Alright guys, everybody in their positions…pronto!" Eric bellowed.

Avoiding on blocking the view of the Miao Dao sword, we all knelt below the glass. Rudy was in the middle of us, on his knees with his fingers wrapped around the trophy, while Milton and Eddie knelt beside him with their elbows resting on his shoulder. Jerry and Grace knelt beside the Miao Dao sword while Jack and I knelt on the other side, with his arm wrapped around my shoulder. All of us huddled closer together, preparing our smiles for the camera. A smile crept upon my face as I looked around, seeing everybody happy with eachother, like a family.

We really are family.

"Alright everyone…say cheese!"

But we didn't want to say cheese.

The seven of us exchanged looks and we stared at the camera with a different thought in mind. This was probably going to be our final moment of being in The Hunt, our final chance to take a group picture before we get horded with congratulations, hugs, and other means of celebration in the hall.

We all wanted to say one last word that was going to make us remember The Hunt.

That knit us together as a group of friends from the start.

And all it took was one word.

Just one word that could take just us back from the time when we all agreed on doing The Hunt, from the time we went to New York City, the time when I got stuck in a cave, the time I got into a fight on The Eiffel Tower, and even from yesterday when we all fought to the finish, saving the sword we were standing right next to at this very moment.

It all led up to now as we soak all those memories into just one photo.

This was why we shouted one word.

More specifically, a name.

"_WASABI!"_

* * *

><p><em>One Month Later…<em>

* * *

><p>"Alright class, who would like to share their essays first?"<p>

And once again, the entire English class remained silent and motionless.

Mrs. Steiner's shocking hazel eyes scanned each and every one of us, and her expression began to grow impatient in a matter of seconds. Even Milton wasn't willing to share his paper which shocked me. I cast a glance over to Jerry who was secretly passing notes over to Grace and Eddie who seemed to be like the ultimate trio at the moment. All Jack did was doodle something into his notebook, resting his chin on the palm of his hand in utter boredom. Well can you blame him? It was_ just _the beginning of sophomore year, where the teachers take it like our brains are already fresh and ready to go, and bombard us with stacks of assignments, which annoyed the hell out of me.

Yet, I actually enjoyed writing this essay.

Every word of it.

"Come on, guys!" The auburn scolded. "I notified you already that you were required to present your essays. If nobody volunteers, I'll randomly pick on people. And this essay shouldn't be difficult to recite—all you had to do was write about what you did this summer! So…last chance for volunteers?"

The kids shuffled in their seat uncomfortably, exchanging looks with eachother to see who was willing to go first. I rolled my eyes, and with a deep, shaky breath I raised my hand up high in the air without a care in the world.

"I'll read mine." I shrugged.

"Ah, well thank you Ms. Crawford. You see ladies and gentleman…let us learn from Miss Crawford's confident attitude in life, and stop being so afraid just to present a little paragraph."

I heard snickers break from the class as I stood up from my seat but it didn't seem to bother me. I walked over to the front of the class with my paper flimsily shaking in my fingertips as I stared at the entire group of kids.

"Alright Kim…give us a little synopsis first about your summer." Mrs. Steiner said.

There wasn't just one way in saying everything I did these past two months.

It's difficult to describe my summer in a little synopsis.

But I took a large sigh anyway and tried to find the right words.

"Well, my summer was actually one of the best ones yet." I began facing the class. "It wasn't your cliché, average summer where you go to the beach, hang by the pool, or just relax at home. For me it was different. For my summer, I went around the world in search of something that at first didn't seem so important. I fought people, got stuck in a cave, deciphered clues, and saved something that turned out to be even bigger than anyone could ever imagine. But above all that, the entire time I was with my friends, which was why I really did have one amazing summer. I found people that made me want to rip my hair out at times…but I also found people that made me happy."

My eyes flickered on Jack for a moment¸ and I could catch a glimpse of his smile.

"Bottom line…this summer was actually an adventure. A life-changing adventure." I smiled.

"And what's the name of your essay?" My teacher asked.

I didn't even need to refer back to my paper, as I already knew the title from the minute summer had started two months ago. I smiled at Ms. Steiner and stared at the class, the memories instinctively flooding back into my head.

"It's called The Hunt."

And as I started to read my essay, I knew I'd be taking my entire English class on an adventure that'll make them stay awake for the rest of the year.

An adventure called The Hunt.

* * *

><p><em>The End. <em>

* * *

><p><strong>My LAST AN- And that's the end to THE HUNT. I really hope this ending pleased you all. Let me explain why the emotions are kind of…all over the place. So the reason why it's so happy-ending like was because I was still on Cloud 9 from meeting Leo Howard on Saturday. So you'll get a sappy, corny ending. He is honestly one of the nicest people I have met, and that was like the best day of my life! **

**Anyway, while I did make it happy-ending like, I also left a little mystery in it too. The reason for THAT is because I finally gave in and watched Pretty Little Liars and I'm unhealthily obsessed. So you'll get a few unanswered questions with that conversation between Kim and Travis (which I added last minute). **

**I'd like to give a small shoutout to Ariana (fallen empires) who gave me some of the ideas for The Hunt. She's one of my best friends on FF, and some of the ideas used in this story were hers. For example, it was her idea for J, E, and M to receive black belts at the end of the story, and for Travis to return briefly. So thank you Ariana! I hope you enjoyed it, and that it wasn't too corny for you!**

**But bottom line, I'd like to thank you ALL for reading this story since February 12. Honestly, your support on this story and to me meant the world, and I'm really sad to leave here. I received like 20 PM's with all of you saying how sad you were and how I inspired you, and honestly that just made me cry. You guys are incredibly sweet, and I'll never forget the way you helped me through life. (BTW-want to read my sappy, incredibly cheesy goodbye speech? Check my profile). **

_**THANK YOU SO MUCH to the 85 of you that have favorited and the 90 of you that have subscribed, for over 20,000 hits on this story AND for this story to be one of the top hits on Google when you just type "Kickin' It Fanfictions". You all are so amazing! Thank you! **_

**I still have Once Upon a Dream that will be updated VERY shortly (It's on editing at the moment) and one more one-shot which should come out before September 6****th****. The day when I'm officially a freshman. Hoo-rah. **

**I hope that since this is the last chapter of The Hunt that ALL of you will review? Please? You'd make me feel a bit better? :)**

**Once again, please leave your thoughts on how you felt about the last chapter of The Hunt, and once again thank you for reading this story . I'm glad to have improved my writing through here, and entertain you all, hopefully!**

**Thank you guys! This is Taylor, signing off from The Hunt for good. **

**I love you all, and will miss updating this story! Thank you so much!**

**~Taylor (:**


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